


For the Dancing and the Dreaming

by cheshirekitsune



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 36,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22323250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshirekitsune/pseuds/cheshirekitsune
Summary: A collection of drabbles, oneshots, and other things about my WoL character, R'ihxa.
Relationships: G'raha Tia | Crystal Exarch/Warrior of Light
Comments: 10
Kudos: 22





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Its tagged as such but I didn't have anyone look over this. I'm not trying to be perfect I'm just trying to write again and share this character that I put a lot of work into.

It was truly amazing and terrifying how quickly a space could change in such a short amount of time.

There was no area of Eorzea that the Calamity hadn’t touched. R’ihxa had seen it with her own eyes, the devastation and drastic changes that had been wrought by the moon blasting itself apart and falling to the earth. The strange alien ruins sticking out of the ground, the twisting oddly colored crystals that pulsed with aetheric power, the mere fact that Coerthas was now a frozen wasteland! And perhaps what made the changes feel so drastic was the fact that she knew what the land had been like before everything went to hell. The five years that had past felt like an eternity, but the reality was, it wasn’t very long at all.

She was the first to arrive in the North Shroud, and instead of idly waiting at Fallgourd Float, she had opted to do some preliminary scouting of the Allagan ruin sticking up out of the dirt. Alisaie Leveilleur was very determined to explore these ruins, and after her experience in the first coil, R’ihxa could understand why. She also understood that their journey would eventually lead them back here, but coming so soon felt rather like a twisted sort of homecoming. As she made her way through the ruined landscape, avoiding the golems and ziz’s that had made the place their hunting grounds, she couldn’t help but note just how much things had changed. And how much she had changed.

She remembered the way the North Shroud once looked before the Calamity. The trees stretching out far and wide like an emerald sea, protecting all those who dwelled beneath the canopy. She remembered the exact location of her tribe’s settlement, near the border to Coerthas and half a day’s ride from Fallgourd Float. The R tribe had always maintained a close relationship with Gridania, allowing for trading with the other city-states, and the city itself had felt just as much her home as the forests had.

And yet, not all those memories were happy ones. Most of them were tinted with bitterness, because for a tribe that claimed to be so close knit, she recalled feeling like an outcast. As was to be expected, being the last sire of the disgraced and deceased Nuhn. Sure, her older half siblings were always kind to her and kept an eye on her, but the children her age had been nothing short of cruel, and the day she really learned that lesson was seared into her memory.

R’ihxa knew the woods were both bountiful and dangerous, the adults had taught them that early on, and just outside their village, they had an example of how the forest could be both at the same time. Beyond the protective fences and watchful gazes of their elders, there was a towering apple tree, one that should have been a pride of her people. If it weren’t for the fact that the clearing the tree grew in was also where belladonna thrived. Most believed it a bad omen, a sign that the Elementals did not want the tree disturbed. Others believed the belladonna might have contaminated the tree, breeding poisonous apples. R’ihxa always scoffed at that argument, that wasn’t how plants worked at all, she had confirmation of that from several botanists, including her mother.

But the other kids still believed it, and it had become something of a challenge among them. Who was brave enough to wade through the sea of belladonna flowers and pick a poisoned apple? So far, there had been no brave souls willing to do it. All the young tia’s talked a big game, but chickened out the moment they got too close to the clearing. The young girls would screech and squeal when their friends tried to push them in, complaining about how if they touched the plant, or smelled the flowers or anything like that, they’d get really sick or fall asleep and never get up.

They sneered at her when she said that touching the plants wouldn’t hurt them. She didn’t know anything; she should just shut up! What would the disgraced runt know anyway? They laughed at her, taunted her, and dared her to prove them wrong.

Her hands curled into fists. Prove them wrong? **_Gladly._**

She shoved past them, ignoring the alarmed screams and the pleads to come back, and marched right into the flowering belladonna. Finding a trail was easy enough, the stags often wandered through the plant, knowing that it would only harm them if they ate it. She followed their secret trail all the way to the base of the tree, craning her neck to look up into the branches. Up close it was a lot bigger than she initially thought…but climbing it wouldn’t be a problem!

Her bullies were still yelling at her to come back, terror in their voices, but she knew they were more afraid of getting in trouble then of her getting hurt. And that had only spurred her on, taking several jumps before latching onto the lowest hanging branch and pulling herself up. Maybe if she did this, they wouldn’t call her a disgrace. A runt. A nobody. Maybe, **finally** , they would respect her. Because she was doing the one thing everyone else was too scared to do. That had to count for something, right?

Ever higher she climbed, finally reaching the branches that bore fruit. She carefully picked her way across the branches, before finding an apple that looked ripe enough to take. Pulling it from the branch, she had a brief satisfied little smile before she started making her way back down, a slightly more difficult task when she was short one hand.  
In hindsight, maybe the Elementals really didn’t want them messing with the tree. No sooner had she made it to the lower branch, pausing to wave her prize in the air and stick her tongue out at her audience to gloat, then she heard a distinct cracking sound. The branch she stood on gave way, sending her tumbling several fulm’s to the ground. She landed on her feet, only for searing pain to shoot through her ankle, causing her to fall forward into the belladonna.

Of course, none of the kids on the edge came to her aid, they just stared at her as she stumbled her way through the underbrush, tripping and falling every few fulm’s. Black berries stained her hands and knees, but she eventually made it out of the poison patch, doing her best to keep the weight off her bad ankle, and stood in front of them grinning in triumph. But, instead of a celebration, instead of being told how brave she was, they yelled at her.

“You’re in so much trouble!”

“You broke the branch! The Elementals are going to curse us all!”

“The…The branch was an accident!” R’ihxa cried, ears flattening as they ganged up on her. “I still did it! I did what none of you dared to do!”

“So what!? You think cursing us is worth a poisoned apple!?”

“It’s not poisoned!” She waved the apple in their faces, making them shrink back in terror. Why were they so dumb? The belladonna growing nearby wouldn’t affect the fruit at all! “I’ll prove it!”

Some of the girls screamed when she bit into the apple, but she didn’t care, she glared at them as she chewed and swallowed her bite. But after a moment or so, she stiffened. Something didn’t taste quite right, a sickly-sweet taste lingered on her tongue, and it was one she had never tasted when eating other apples. Slowly, she looked down at where she had bit into the fruit, and to her horror she noticed that the red skin of the apple had been stained with something sticky that was blackish purple. The belladonna berries she had fallen through had smashed against the apple as well, and she had bitten right into it…

The apple was poisoned after all.

When she looked up, most of the group had already scattered, making the same realization she had and wanting to be as far away from her as possible. They didn’t care if she died, they just didn’t want to get in trouble for it. They left her alone, with a swelling ankle and terror coursing through her veins. She limped her way home by herself, crying silently while still clutching her cursed prize. It was only when she made it through the gate, tripping when the pain throbbed particularly bad that she started screaming and sobbing for her mother to help her.

After that, she could only remember what she had been told by both her mother and her half siblings, since most of it she couldn’t remember herself. She had broken her ankle during her fall, which had been an easy enough fix for the healers. They had given her the antidote for belladonna, but her mother had reassured her that there wasn’t enough residue on the apple to really warrant such a scare. She still recalled being afraid to eat apples for a while though. Her mother told the Nunh what had happened, how she had been goaded into doing something so foolish by her peers, and the Nunh had gathered up the children and scolded them harshly, reminding them that if they actually listened to their lessons and not silly superstitions, they would understand how poisonous plants actually worked. He forbade anyone to go near the apple tree, unless they were a botanist or a healer, and forced them to apologize to her. That was another thing she could never remember getting.

What she had received instead, was more jeering. More mocking. They were a little more subtle about it, but they still did it nonetheless. Instead of just being a disgraced runt, she was the one who ate the poisoned apple and lived. The one who survived the Elementals curse, the grim creature who brought bad omens wherever she went. She learned then, that they would never accept her. No matter what she did to impress, no matter how hard she tried, they just didn’t want her around. She was worthless to them. An unfortunate reminder that someone else used to be in charge, and that he couldn’t hang onto the title or his life.

If they wanted to see her as a grim creature, then Grimm she would be. Feeding into their superstitions was the easiest way to keep them away. The easiest way to keep herself from getting hurt. Grimm was the best gift they could have given her…

Oh, how she wished they could see her now. Just to rub it in their faces that she wasn’t the worthless little runt she used to be back when the woods still stretched this far.

“Is aught amiss, R’ihxa?”

Her ears twitched, and she blinked, tearing her gaze away from the wrecked landscape to the owner of the voice. Alisaie was making her way towards the cliffside that gave them a clear view of Dalamud's Shadow, and R’ihxa noted that she was alone.

“Is Fangs not coming?” She asked as the Leveilleur twin came to stand next to her, gaze fixated on the fallen neurolink.

“He said he had some final preparations to make, and that he would meet us here.” Alisaie’s gaze moved from the ruin before her to the Miqo’te next to her. “You never answered my question…”

“Ah…it’s nothing important.” R’ihxa ran a hand through her hair, glancing out over the landscape again with a small sigh. “Just reliving some old memories. Though I cannot claim they’re particularly pleasant…”

She could see that curious glint in the girl’s eye, could tell she wanted to ask but was holding back out of politeness, and it made her chuckle slightly. Alisaie defiantly had a little more self-restraint than her brother, she was almost positive that Alphinaud would have found a polite but subtle way to ask by now. However, R’ihxa found that she didn’t mind reliving the memory again for Alisaie. They did have a little time to kill, since Fangs tended to be very thorough with his preparations.

“Have you ever wondered how I got the name ‘Grimm’?”

“A few times, since your personality is anything but. I don’t see how anyone named Grimm could be so doting on a chocobo…”

R’ihxa grinned, and pointed out past the ruin, describing where her village used to be, where the apple tree once stood tall. Sure, her bitterness still remained, as did her sadness that her old home was gone. She had no tribe, not much family left, and nothing to claim to belong too. But seeing Alisaie listening intently, getting rightfully mad at how she had been treated, and the awe of her survival made it all the better. R’ihxa was older and wiser now, and if her memory served to teach Alisaie something, then she was doing her job right. Like how to take what others perceive as a weakness and turn it into a strength.

Or, if not that, then she would be fine if this served as a reminder to always wash her food before eating it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome to alisaie loving hours  
> don't worry her brother will get some chapters of his own  
> i haven't played through coils in a while so if some details are off that's why. though the details for coils don't really matter its more about alisaie just growing a little

Alisaie refused to believe that her grandfather was beyond saving. If he was still alive, still there lurking among those Allagan monstrosities, the there was a chance that her voice could reach him. She wouldn’t give up on him…she couldn’t. Not after coming this far…

She was startled by the sudden appearance of a plate of sliced apples in front of her, and her gaze turned to find R’ihxa giving her a worried look. 

“Ah, I’m not really…”

“C’mon, Alisaie, starving yourself won’t make matters better.” R’ihxa gave her a sympathetic smile, gesturing to the plate. “I promise, it wasn’t poisoned.”

That did warrant a small smile, even though she wasn’t pleased at the fact that the Miqo’te was right. She just didn’t feel like eating, or waiting around for that matter. She wanted to go back in there and find out just what her grandfather was up too and—ugh, if she kept obsessing over this, she’d be no better than Alphinaud. She stared at the fruit, brow furrowing slightly. It seemed odd that R’ihxa would pick this fruit…and yet, Alisaie recalled seeing her with apples often. Even now, she was slicing another one for herself…

“I assumed you wouldn’t eat another one again, after that tale you told me back in the Shroud…”

R’ihxa glanced up at her, before looking down at her apple and chuckling slightly. So, Alisaie had finally caught onto that. She was faster than her brother was on figuring it out…  
“For a while, I didn’t. Wanted nothing to do with them actually.” She picked up a slice and bit it in half, thinking back on how long she avoided the fruit. “I think it was a full winter before I was brave enough to try one. And it wasn’t a thing I did willingly, I might add.”

“Who could force you to eat fruit?”

_“My mother.”_

“A fair point.” Alisaie conceded, for even she and Alphinaud had trouble arguing against their mothers wishes. She didn’t really like being put in identical outfits with her brother, folks had enough trouble telling the two apart. Delicate fingers picked up a slice from the plate, and she bit into it, glancing at the Miqo’te across from her. It wasn’t exactly fair of her to pry into R’ihxa’s past, but…she wanted something else to think about, just for a little bit. “How did she convince you?”

R’ihxa paused, looking over at Alisaie with a soft smile. She always did like telling people this part, letting them in on the little joke. She set her knife aside and reached into her bag, pulling out a fresh apple and placing it on the table between them.

“Alisaie, what do apples usually symbolize?”

“A good harvest, I would imagine?” Alisaie reached over and picked up the fruit, turning it over in her hands. She could hardly imagine being afraid of something so small, but this apple’s red sheen also hadn’t been stained with belladonna black. Across from her R’ihxa tilted her head a little, but nodded.

“Well, yes, but usually, apples are the first thing most suggest when talking about health. You know, if you want to keep the healers away, you eat one a day, or however that rhyme went…”

Her gaze lingered on the apple in Alisaie’s hand, remembering all too well the days when the sight of one filled her with terror. The unfortunate thing was, the children who witnessed her tumble had taken to presenting her with apples whenever they could. An innocent gesture that was so full of malicious intent, it was a wonder she stayed. Well, aside from the fact that she was about seven and had no other options on where to go…

“I used to get apples a lot after I fell from the tree. Hell, it almost became a ritual. ‘Give R'ihxa an apple so she’ll stay away from you.’ They knew it upset me, and they knew they couldn’t get in trouble for it.” She rolled her eyes, but appreciated the offended sound Alisaie gave. It was always reassuring to know that others found those actions just as awful as she had. 

“To think they got away with treating you as such…” Alisaie mumbled, placing the apple back on the table. How did R’ihxa not consider them a curse after all of that?

“I just count myself fortunate that they didn’t _throw_ them at me.” R’ihxa picked up the apple herself for a second, weighing it in her hand. Getting hit with one would definitely leave a bruise. “But my mother knew I was uncomfortable getting them, and I think she saw a way to kill two birds with one stone. She reminded me that apples are a symbol of health, and that if I was getting so many, then that meant they really wanted me to stay healthy and live long.”

“I see…” A smile slowly crept onto Alisaie’s face as she put the pieces together. R’ihxa’s mother was smart, deviously so. “So, the next time you received an apple, I imagine you thanked them for wishing you a long healthy life?”

“Oh, I wish you could have seen their faces Alisaie, it was as if I uttered a curse at them.” R’ihxa was grinning widely, holding the apple up next to her face. “And, funny thing, I stopped getting apples after that. Well, from them. My mom and a couple of my half sisters would still give me some now and again, loudly wishing me health and longevity.”

“So that’s where your spiteful tendencies come from.” Alisaie observed with amusement, to which R’ihxa stuck her tongue out at her in a playful gesture.

“I learned from the best.” 

The Elezen chuckled, and she tugged the plate of sliced apples closer to her, feeling a little more inclined to eat them now that she knew they were given with good intentions. Really, she had to admire the way R’ihxa was able to take something that caused her such pain and distress, and turn it into something positive. Known for the poison apple, but giving them out willingly as a sign she cared. Most weren’t able to do such a thing…to take strength from the things trying to tear them down. But if R’ihxa was able to do it, then perhaps she could too.

Her resolve was set, she would find out what her grandfather was up too. She would get to the bottom of all the lies and trickery, and get the answers she deserved. He owed her that much. She’d find strength from this particular poison apple; she just needed a little more time to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i will write g'raha fluff next i promise


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised you guys G'raha fluff and I am here to deliver! Or well, he's smitten in this, and that counts for something. Also starring my friends WoL OC Fangs!

There really was no rest for the righteous. Or the wicked for that matter.

R’ihxa had made it abundantly clear that, if he needed any assistance at all, even with something mundane, he could always come to her. Fangs Brightclaw, her dearest friend and fellow Miqo’te, the Warrior of Light always seemed to have a full plate. She honestly wondered how he was still standing half the time. Could White Mages give themselves a near constant supply of stamina? That didn’t sound like how it was supposed to work, but R’ihxa hadn’t dabbled too deep into any magicks to say otherwise. The point was, she often worried for her friend, and desired to help him anyway she could, knowing that he didn’t ask for help unless something was dire. Most mundane things he could handle!  
So, when he appeared at her side at her workbench, face half concealed with the masks she always asked people to wear when they disturbed her alchemical work, she assumed something important had happened. She was surprised to hear his request was pretty simple…

“You require a guide?” She asked, shoving a cork into the potion vial she had finished crafting. He nodded, green gaze sparkling a bit with a spark she hadn’t seen in some time. That adventuring spark…

“You do know the Black Shroud well, do you not?”

“Like the back of my own hand, but you know it just as well as I, so what do _you_ need a guide for?”

And so, he explained about the expedition of the Crystal Tower, how the Students couldn’t even get close due to the barriers in place. And how he had been recruited to gather the aethersands that would fashion the fangs Cid needed to break down those barriers. R’ihxa listened intently, before peeling off her alchemical mask, eyes shining with intrigue. This sounded like quite the interesting quest…

“And your aethersands are in the Shroud somewhere, and you want me to help you find them. I must say it is quite an honor to be your first choice! Wherever they are, I’ll get you in and out quickly.”

Fangs took the mask off his face, tossing it aside onto the table beside hers while giving her an amused look. Oh, she wouldn’t like where he was told the sands were hidden, and it really was less that he needed to be shown where they were, but more he needed an extra set of weapons. But he knew that wouldn’t deter her, it had been far too long since they last went on a quest together. It was a little respite they both needed.

“I was told I would find them in Urth’s Gift.” Fangs said, all too amused at the way her shoulders slumped and she rolled her eyes to the heavens.

“ _Of course_ , its in Urth’s Gift.” She mumbled, turning back to her workstation and opening a drawer and rummaging around in it for a moment, pulling out two vials at last. Fangs peered curiously at them, recognizing the color as one of her more dangerous poisons.

“Going for something a little more potent?”

“For Urth’s Gift, I need too. Unless you _want_ to be run down by boars.”

“I can’t say that I do.” He mumbled, which made her grin and pat his arm. Bringing R’ihxa was the smart idea, he had faith that she could keep her word, and get them in and out with the aethersand quickly.

Or so they thought.  
~~

The Shroud offered a plethora of hiding places, ones where even the most skilled hunters wouldn’t be able to find their pray. Urth’s Gift especially offered plenty, the location was fairly uncharted territory, owing to the beasts that lurked around and the local myths about the crystals. Not many ventured this far back, and it was the perfect place for the stage to be set. And so, hidden deep within the ancient branches, G’raha Tia waited for the esteemed adventurer that had been tasked with collecting the remaining aethersands. He didn’t have long to wait, all too soon he heard the stomping and splashing of a chocobo making its way towards where the boar lay. He peered through the leaves, and was surprised to find that two had shown up.

The first matched the description he had been given; the adventurer in question was a male Miqo’te with blue hair and was usually seen carrying the staff that White Mages favored. This was the one that had been so fondly talked about, and even from a distance G’raha could see why. He had a reliable look to him, even as he drew his staff and carefully stepped forward towards the fallen creature, giving a bewildered look towards his companion. He had hoped the warrior would come alone but…realistically it didn’t matter if there was another there…

G’raha’s gaze moved toward the unexpected addition. A female Miqo’te with short purple hair, and maybe some face paint too, though he was a little too far away to really tell what the pattern was. And he noted she was a bard as well. She had drawn her bow, scanning the surrounding area warily as she drew closer. He might not have been close enough to fully read their faces, but he could definitely hear their voices.

“It’s already slain…and yet, they left the carcass. Hunters aren’t stupid enough to waste a mark this big…”

The mage had bravely stepped forward to search the boar while his companion watched his back. G’raha had to stifle a chuckle, no doubt he was looking for the aethersand that was no longer there. He had his confirmation in moments. The mage straightened up, turning to his companion with a troubled look no doubt.

“The aethersand is also missing.”

“It is? Who else would even need it?”

He couldn’t contain his grin, finally able to set his little game into motion. Time to see if this adventurer was up to the task.

“You are too late, adventurers—and not just for the entertainment. You will find no trace of the ore which but recently lay here. Nay, not so much as a speck.”

Both their heads snapped up and searched for him, which only amused him further. Really, they had no hope of finding him! They were only wasting their time.

“Ah…no. You will never spy me from there. For the time being at least, you will have to trust the evidence of your ears. Now, stop squinting at the foliage and listen.”

The mage seemed to take his words to heart, folding his arms across his chest as he waited, but the bard only seemed to get more agitated. She sheathed her bow, true, but he could see her still squinting around, tail swishing behind her betraying her frustration. But neither said anything, so he continued.

“As I told you, the water-blessed mineral you hoped to find is gone—taken by me.” An obvious statement they likely figured out by now, but he pressed on. “Victory has made me magnanimous however. Accordingly, I have decided to share the location of an alternative source of aethersand with you—the wind-touched variety to be specific.”

They both stiffened.

“I trust I have your attention? Good. A band of Ixal in the North Shroud keep a quantity of the abrasive for the purpose of removing impurities from lesser crystals.”

“Of course, the godsdamn Ixal have it…” The bard hissed, turning to face her mage companion. “They’ve been especially testy as of late…”

“It seems we have no other option…”

“Well? Do you mean to dally here all day?” He taunted, watching them both freeze again. He was especially enjoying the bard’s tail curl and swish. He was getting under her skin, he could tell. “Make haste, you two, before I snatch another prize from under your noses! This is to be a race!”

“ _What!?_ ” She shrieked, pulling something from her belt. He couldn’t see what it was, but she whipped it into the trees about ten fulm’s to the left of his hiding place. Not even close. “Are you kidding me!?”

“Not at all~ And you missed, by the way.”

“When I find you I swear I’ll—” But her friend silenced her with a look, and she folded her arms over her chest and quieted.

“If it is to be a race, I imagine there is a finish line somewhere?”

“Correct! The Ixali logging grounds in the North Shroud shall be our destination. And that is where the real amusement will begin. May the best man win!”

G’raha watched the mage drop his shoulders and shake his head, almost in a way that seemed to indicate that he was used to this sort of thing. He was also sure he heard a chuckle as well. He half expected the bard to start screaming at him again, but instead she had remained quiet, eyes closed and head tilted as if she were listening for something…

Her eyes snapped open, and she threw something right in his direction, and he felt it fly right by his ear. He didn’t dare move, didn’t dare to even breathe. How? How had she found him!? He waited, frozen for what felt like an eternity, staring at her almost positive she could see him. But soon, she shrugged, and turned away, telling her companion that she knew a shortcut to the North Shroud.

He swallowed thickly, and turned to see what she had thrown. Imbedded in the bark behind him was a throwing dart, mere ilms away from his ear. He pulled it out and examined it, his suspicion correct; it was laced with some sort of poison.  
This little game of his had just become a lot more interesting.  
~~

There were a few less hiding places at the Ixali Logging grounds, but G’raha still managed to tuck himself away in time for his competitors to arrive on the scene. He couldn’t hear their hushed discussion of what he could only assume was the best strategy against the bird like beastmen, but soon enough, he got the show he wanted.

They charged forward, taking the birdmen and their hounds completely by surprise. She fired off Rain of Death, felling a good number while he quickly cast Holy to take care of the rest. The few who hadn’t been in the immediate fire rage were fast overcoming their shock, squawking that the two would pay for their attack. Neither seemed bothered by it. They stuck close to each other, her firing arrows that were likely poisoned while he fired a mix of wind and earth spells at the remaining stragglers. They were a remarkable team…

Soon, there weren’t any Ixal left to challenge them, and the mage rushed to collect the wind-touched abrasive. He quickly checked the bag, before nodding to his friend. It was there, no tricks it seemed, they had won it fair and square.

“Bravo! That was quite the show, adventurers! Why, the spectacle proved so enthralling that all thoughts of aethersand slipped my mind.”

“And apparently, the thought of helping us also slipped your mind.” The bard quipped, slipping an arrow back into her quiver. But G’raha paid her comment no mind. He would have jumped in to help them if the Ixal had proven to be too overwhelming, but they were such a fantastic team, his assistance was hardly needed.

“I appear to have forfeited our little race! Congratulations—the wind-touched abrasive is yours.”

The two looked at the small bag they had won. For all the trouble it caused them, it didn’t seem like much of a prize. Fortunately, G’raha agreed. It wasn’t nearly a good enough prize for all the work they did.

“And yet, having been treated to such a memorable performance, I cannot help feeling that the greater prize is mine. This inequality must not stand. I _insist_ that you accept a token of my appreciation.”

“I’m not sure I want it…” The bard replied, but her friend silenced her with another look. She simply shrugged, tilting her head a little bit, listening for his voice once more. She wouldn’t like what she was about to hear.

“Payment for this entertainment will be waiting for you to the east, in a clearing within Proud Creek. Pray retrieve the gift ere it is crushed beneath the iron feet of the dullahans.”

“Oh, for fu—"

“We must hurry.” The mage gave the bard a gentle push to get her moving, and together they retraced their steps and headed east, deeper into Proud Creek. It was as they were told, they didn’t have terribly far to venture, but unfortunately there were dullahans in their path. Dullahans they quickly dispatched. The bards frustration seemed to help with that, G’raha wasn’t sure he had seen arrows fly so fast before. He watched them rush over to were the bag lay, watched as the mage picked it up and inspected its content, before looking up in shock.

“Not what you were expecting? I took the liberty of refining the ore from Urth’s Gift into aethersand. Do keep it safe, adventurer.”

Her back was too him, but he saw the bards hands come to her face, a muffled screech sounding from her. He really shouldn’t have been so amused, but she was just so easy to annoy! And she offered the best reactions! Ah, but they might take this the wrong way…

“Lest you accuse me of playing games, you should know the thought of relinquishing my prize never once crossed my mind—until I saw you two in action. Such deeds needs must be rewarded.”

“By sending us on a wild Chocobo chase!?”

“It is my vocation, you see, to record history as it is made by mortal men. And I much prefer to chronicle the accomplishments of the bold and the mighty. Thus, it is my fervent wish that you continue your career with the same courage and zeal you have shown me today. We shall meet again—and sooner then you may imagine.”

He watched them wait, apparently wondering if he would speak again. When he didn’t, they looked at each other, he confused and she agitated.

“At least we have them now…” Fangs offered, tucking the two sands safely into his bag.

“It feels less like a prize and more like an insult.” R’ihxa hissed, shouldering her bow. “Let’s get them to Cid before something else goes to hell.”  
~~

G’raha returned to the camp first when he learned that the fangs were complete, a feat which involved a hasty teleport and him running flat out to beat the two adventurers. Or at least, the mage that had originally been recruited to find the aethersands. He was wheezing by the time he got there, slightly cursing the fact that he still hadn’t gotten a chocobo of his own yet. Still, he had made it with ample time to compose himself and prepare his grand entrance. He really had no way of knowing if the mage would bring his bard companion along with him, after their adventure in the Shroud, she could easily decide she wanted nothing to do with the quest at all anymore. Part of him hoped she wouldn’t give up so easily…

Below, he heard Cid finishing his preparation of the fangs, discussing the how-to’s of the process to make them and the importance of why they needed to study the tower. And not long after, he heard the familiar cries of approaching chocobo. Looking down at the camp, he realized the mage had arrived, and to his delight, the bard had accompanied him as well! They hopped off their mounts and greeted Cid and the others, inquiring about the progress of the investigation and the well being of the crew. Wait for it…he had to time this just right…

He finally had his chance, and he called out to them from his perch, watching all heads turn towards him in surprise. Then he made his grand leap, landing gracefully on his feet before them. The scolding from Rammbroes was worth it, since he got to see the look of shock on both adventurers faces. He raised his hand in greeting, giving them both a wide grin.

“Greetings, you two. Did I not say we would meet again?”

They both stared at him with wide eyes, though he was sure he saw the mage glance at his companion. For her part, she still looked like she was trying to process what had just happened, the realization slowly dawning on her that he was the one in the Shroud. Her ears had perked up ever so slightly when he spoke again, introducing himself to them all and stating his intentions of why he was there.

The mage recovered first, smiling gently at him, and G’raha could see once more why he had been chosen for this quest. He had proven himself reliable and strong enough to handle whatever was thrown at him, but up close he could see there was a kindness to him as well. Green eyes shone with warmth, and G’raha noticed that underneath his bangs there appeared to be a mark of some kind. Face paint perhaps? He would have to inquire about it later…

“Tis a pleasure to meet you, G’raha. My name is Fangs Brightclaw.”

Not a traditional name from either tribe, he noted. Not that tribal connections really mattered, all three of them were Miqo’te that were very far from home it seemed. His gaze shifted however when Fangs gestured to his companion at his side.

“And this is R’ihxa Grimm.”

_R’ihxa._ He finally had a name to put with that feisty bard, and now that he wasn’t hiding, he could see her face clearly. Bangs swept over her forehead and hung long against the right side of her face, and he could see now that she did choose to wear face paint too. Bright purple stripes that framed her eyes, in a way that was reminiscent of the bright colors and marks animals had to alert predators that they were dangerous. And G’raha believed that warning, after seeing her fight first hand. But that didn’t stop his curiosity, his desire to know more about her. In the soft light of the crystals surrounding them, her eyes shone bright much like an amethyst gemstone would, and he would have liked to gaze into them longer…if it weren’t for the fact that they sparkled with fury. He was a little taken aback actually at the ferocity she glared at him, was she really still sore over what happened in the Shroud?

She glared at him a moment more, seemingly calculating something, before muttering what he was sure was the phrase _‘fucking Tia’s’_ and stalking off towards one of the research tents. He was left staring after her, while Fangs came up to his side with a very amused expression.

“I take it she isn’t too fond of me…”

“You did quite a job earning the Grimm One’s ire. I hope you have a high tolerance for poison.”

“What!? S-She wouldn’t…”

“You needent worry. I have the antidote to her current batch.” Fangs chuckled at G’raha’s alarmed expression. “But, in all seriousness, give her some time. She just needs to nurse her wounded pride is all.”

“Ah…then I suppose I shouldn’t return this to her?” G’raha dug into his pocket and pulled out the dart that had nearly hit him. He saw Fangs’ eyes widen a little, before his gaze moved to follow after his friend, considering the consequences if she got that particular dart back.

“How close did she get?”

“Nearly gave me a free piercing.” G’raha mumbled. Fangs gave a low whistle, before taking the dart out of his hands and promising to slip it into her chocobo’s saddlebag without her knowing. If she found out how close she had gotten, it would only irritate her more. And Fangs didn’t want to see that happen. Because he saw something in R’ihxa’s reaction that G’raha wouldn’t have noticed. Fangs knew her well enough by now to notice the very faint pink tinge on her cheek when she first lay eyes on the Tia, to notice the way her eyes lingered on him even after she swore and stalked off. R’ihxa who had sworn to him for many years that she would never give into the demands of a stray Tia, actually showed a little interest in this one.

And who was he to get in the way of such a thing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're going to see a lot of Fangs I love writing their banter and friendship


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm kind of jumping all over the place with these but like, I'm currently playing through Shadowbringers for myself and I'm having such a blast I wanted to start writing stuff for it. If I'm being real Shadowbringers is the reason I started writing again at all so like, I'm really stoked to be playing it. :')

The Exarch was a man of many regrets. He understood full well the role he had to play, and understood he needed to take certain steps to ensure that history was rewritten. But he regretted the secrets he had to keep, regretted how much he had to seal himself off from others. And that’s where all of this had begun, with him sealing himself away from the two he cared for most…

He also very much regretted not actually looking into a magic class sooner. He would be the first to admit that he was not a very good mage, and his current list of failures at the summons proved that. Instead of the Warrior of Light, he had pulled Thancred, then Urianger, then Y’shtola…and now he had pulled R’ihxa.

While he had been glad to see her, the feeling quickly turned to dismay upon seeing just how poorly she handled being at the Crystal Tower again. Hurting her was the last thing he ever wished to do, and because of his poor skills, he had caused her an immeasurable amount of pain. The panic attack she endured had been bad enough, but even weeks later, he could clearly see she still wasn’t adjusting.

Despite her clear discomfort, R’ihxa had chosen to stay at the Crystarium, telling him that it was the place her skills were needed most. That, and she had nowhere else to go, a fact that he couldn’t deny. Thancred moved too much and was preoccupied with his charge, Y’shtola was unreachable at that point, and Urianger had expressed concerns about the pixies taking advantage of her in her distressed state. And she had no desire to explore on her own. So, he granted her wish to stay, setting her up with a workspace and a room of her own. And while it was a boon to have her alchemical skills, he feared the cost that it came with. Their medicine stores might have doubled, but her own health was starting to fail. 

He found her in the Hortorium, sitting at the edge of one of the piers underneath the archway where vines grew. He could see why she chose to hide here so often; the trees and the water likely was the closest reminder to her home of the Shroud she could get here on the First. Well, aside from Rak’tika, but she had been explicitly clear about not wanting to go there. He approached her, and saw her ears perk up at the sounds of his steps. She glanced up at him, inclining her head in a silent greeting. 

“So, this is where you’ve been hiding.” He said, taking a seat next to her. “I thought I would find you working…”

“I needed a break.” She said quietly, raising her hand to examine. He could see in the dim light that she had a bandage wrapped around it. “Once I start breaking bottles, I know it’s time to stop.”

He frowned, gently reaching over to take her hand. He didn’t need to ask what happened, for he could feel the slight tremble. Shaking hands would lead to broken glass, the question was, why was she shaking at all?

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, it’ll heal in no time.”

“…I didn’t just mean your hand.”

R’ihxa was quiet, pulling her hand back while refusing to look at him. She kept her gaze fixated on the water, while he kept his gaze on her, waiting patiently. Finally, she sighed, shoulders falling, and she turned to face him. Even through her face paint, he could see the bags under her eyes, and just the way she held herself betrayed that she was exhausted.

“I can’t sleep.” She confessed. “I’ve tried, but I just can’t get a good night’s rest. If the nightmares aren’t keeping me up, the headaches from the Light are.”

“The Light bothers you that much?” He frowned, why hadn’t she mentioned that sooner? There wasn’t much he could do about the Light, not yet at least, but to hear that even with all the precautions taken against the Light she was still having issues dismayed him. Of course, even Seekers weren’t built for Light like this…but now he understood the root of her failing health. She _needed_ rest.

“That’s why I’m here, its dark in here.” She looked up at the softly glowing tree in front of them. Its light was much gentler than the sky outside, and her gaze betrayed the unspoken homesickness as well. What she would give to be at home, where the stars shone against a black sky and where she was safe. Not that she didn’t appreciate the lengths the Exarch went to make sure she was comfortable, but even he couldn’t fix everything.

Though he seemed determined to try. When she looked at him again, he appeared to be deep in thought. It was really hard to tell just what he was thinking with his face half hidden like that, but she had a hunch that he was likely trying to think of a solution to her Light problem. Honestly, she was just thinking of going to a vendor to buy a blindfold or sunglasses…

The Exarch seemed to reach a decision however, because he stood suddenly, and held out a hand to her.

“Come with me.”

R’ihxa stared at him, confused for a moment, before taking his hand and letting him pull her to her feet. From there, he led her back up to the Aetherite Plaza and made his way towards the entrance to the tower. He could see her wince slightly as she stepped into the Light, and he cursed himself for not realizing she had the sensitivity sooner. Not that he had seen much of her, she had been hiding herself a lot since she arrived. Inside the tower, they climbed the staircase in silence, and it wasn’t until they reached the privacy of the Ocular that he spoke to her once more.

“Does your head still pain you?”

“A little bit…” She admitted, her bandaged hand rubbing her right temple. “As much as I loathe this tower, I have to admit it’s a little better in here…”

The Exarch nodded, satisfied that the soft glow of the tower was not irritating her more. He beckoned her to come forward, and led her through a set of doors she never really noticed before. He had told her once that the Ocular was his private chambers, and now she was seeing just how big it actually was. It also solved the mystery of where he slept. The room itself was fairly spacious, lined with bookshelves and cabinets full of what she assumed was the Exarchs personal belongings, and held a bed that was fit for royalty. She wasn’t even sure if the sultana herself had so many luxurious looking pillows!

While she took in the grandeur, he busied himself at one of the cabinets, pulling out several potion vials until he found the right one. A moment or so later, he turned and offered her a glass of some blue potion, which she took with a skeptical look.

“It will ease your pain.” He said simply, watching as she eyed the content of the glass for a second before shrugging and gulping it down. He did grin in amusement watching her ears flatten when the extremely bitter taste hit her though. Glad to know even the master of poisons and antidotes hated taking medicine too.

“Did you really drag me up here to take a painkiller?” She said, handing him the empty glass. “When I could have made one of my own? Wait, _is_ that one of mine?”

“It’s not, but if you are able to make something stronger, I would be the first to ask you for some.” He chuckled as he put everything away. “But it is stronger than the average potion, so your migraine should fade very soon. I imagine with your pain, you aren’t up to making advance calculations, let alone trying to brew something complex.”

“I suppose not.” She still wasn’t sure what to make of the gesture. It was easy enough to guess that the potion he had just given her was from his own private stores. But why give it to her? She had to imagine he needed it more, maybe that crystal on his arm caused him pain? She ran a hand through her hair and sighed a little. She needed to think about these things when she wasn’t tired. 

“Well, thank you. I guess I’ll go back to my room for a bit…” She mumbled the last bit more to herself as she turned to leave, but his voice gave her pause.

“You’re welcome to rest here, if you wish…”

She turned back to him; eyes wide with surprise. Her gaze darted to the bed, then to him, and she quickly shook her head.

“I couldn’t…!”

“R’ihxa, you need rest.”

“I have my own room, I’m not going to take over yours.”

“But you aren’t sleeping, are you? You said as much earlier, and I am not so blind that I cannot see how much distress you’re in.” He really wasn’t sure what hurt more, seeing her burning herself out like this, or seeing the genuine surprise in her gaze at how much he cared. Had her self-worth really plummeted so much in the time he was gone? Though he did have to remind himself that he was technically a stranger to her. 

“I may not be able to stop whatever nightmares or bad memories plague you, but at the very least, I can shield you from the Light for a few hours. In here, you won’t be disturbed.”

R’ihxa stared at him silently, thinking over his offer. He really half expected her to protest more, he remembered her stubbornness over her own wellbeing, unless it was something very serious. He could only gauge her condition based on what he could see, he had no way of knowing how well she actually felt, but with the way her shoulders fell in defeat a moment later, it was clear that she felt bad enough to forego her stubborn tendencies. Or maybe she was just that desperate for a decent night’s sleep.

“Alright. I’ll…I’ll take you up on your offer.” There was a hint of guilt in her gaze, and maybe some shame. Not that she had anything to feel bad for, he didn’t exactly use this bed as much these days. “Don’t let me overstay my welcome though.”

“Of course,” He gave her a gentle smile, making his way toward the door to give her some privacy. “Sweet dreams…”

“I wouldn’t bet on that.” She mumbled, letting herself sink onto the edge of the bed. She waited until she heard the door click shut behind the Exarch before she started pulling off her shoes and other extra accessories. She had to admit to being a little envious as she crawled under the covers, because she really did think this was a bed made for royalty. It was so soft! She stretched out among the pillows, allowing herself a moment to just enjoy it. She gathered up a pillow and buried her face into it, half wondering why the scent on it was familiar…maybe she _was_ getting too tired to function. Of course, it was familiar, it was the Exarch’s! And yet there was something nagging at the back of her mind…

The potion was kicking in, her pain ebbed and drowsiness took over. She was comfortable, and the room was fairly dark. And unlike in her room, she couldn’t hear the eerie noise the Light made. She couldn’t really hear anything except the Exarch’s voice, muffled though it was. Likely in a meeting with the guard or something…the thought was oddly comforting.

For a mercy, sleep claimed her before she could even think to worry about what night terrors might visit her. And her sleep remained peaceful for several hours, something she hadn’t been able to get since first arriving.

He checked on her after a while, pleased to find that she showed no signs of waking, not even any signs of tossing or turning. He found her curled up, face half buried into a pillow, and she didn’t stir when he sat on the edge of the bed, nor when he ran his hand through her hair to further soothe her. It reminded him of those long nights at the base camp, when they’d stay up too late reading and she’d fall asleep on him first. He’d run his fingers though her hair, and rub the spot behind her ear that would make her twitch and curl up tighter, sleepily mumbling nonsense at him.

He longed to go back to those days. Even now, just sitting with her he wished he could just lay it all bare. He couldn’t stand what he had done to her, what being here on the First was doing to her. The danger she was in, here and on the Source. He never wanted any of it for her.

“I’m sorry, Ihxa…” He whispered. “I pray you can forgive me…for everything.”

She didn’t respond, but she did shift, just a little. Curling further into the pillow, and leaning into the hand that was still in her hair. He took that as a good sign, and allowed himself a few more moments with her before leaving her to her rest, vowing to spend more time with her when she was awake. Because if everything did go to plan, then he didn’t have a lot of time left to spend with her.

But he wouldn’t dwell on such thoughts now. He would instead focus on helping her recover, and doing everything in his power to make her happy on the First.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will admit to taking some liberties with the layout of the Ocular but you can pry the headcanon that he has a big soft bed from my cold dead hands.  
> More Shadowbringer drabbles are likely next but I promise I will go back to Crystal Tower stuff soon too.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't think I would title the work after this song and not use it, did you? Also shout out to that tool tip about the Exarch eating grass, it made writing this twice has hilarious.

Being on the First offered her a relief that she didn’t think she would ever truly find again; a chance to start over. Here, her reputation didn’t precede her, no one regarded her warily or whispered rumors about the deadly things she could create. She could be herself…if she hadn’t been so terrified of the whole situation.

Old habits died hard, and when asked to give her name, she fell back on her old comfort. Only the Exarch knew that her name was R’ihxa, to everyone else, she introduced herself as Grimm. But instead of wary looks, the people of the Crystarium actually welcomed her as a _good omen_ for a change. That shocked her, so much so that she could hear the Exarch chuckling at the look on her face.

“When you’ve been in the Light for so long, anything tied to the dark and the night is seen as a blessing.”

R’ihxa didn’t know what to make of it, she had never been welcomed for her aesthetics before. The thing that had been used to keep everyone at arm’s length was now the thing that drew them closer to her. She wasn’t the outsider; she was actually welcomed…and she hadn’t felt as warm a welcome since Ishgard. It steeled her resolve, and she gladly offered up her skills to them, which was another thing they welcomed openly. Word spread quickly of her alchemical prowess, and sometimes, she would get personal requests…from the most unlikely sources.

“Grimm, might I have a word with you?”

She recognized the voice as Lyna’s, and she raised her tail as an indicator that she had heard the request, but needed one moment. Careful hands quickly finished the synthesis she was in the middle of, before she turned, taking her mask off her face in the process.

“Captain, what can I do for you today?”

The Viis stepped over to the workstation, and deposited a small bag onto its surface, indicating that she should open it. She did, pulling out several small stacks of red leaves. While she examined them, Lyna spoke, keeping her voice quiet, but still carrying that commanding edge.

“Might you be able to make a tonic of some sort out of this?”

“I might…” R’ihxa said, sniffing the plant in her hand. She recognized the sweet scent, she had been working with this plant a lot since taking up this position. “Its Elf Grass, isn’t it?”

“Aye, it is. The freshest batch the botanists brought back.” Lyna nodded. “I know there’s a demand for it, but the medicine I want you to make is important.”

“Are you feeling well?” R’ihxa had to ask, because the plant was primarily used to combat fatigue. Was Lyna overworking herself? Or had there been such an increase in attacks that she was starting to be overwhelmed? Lyna glanced towards the other chirurgeon’s, before leaning forward slightly.

“Tis not for me,” She said quietly, and her voice was filled with a small hint of worry. “I want you to make it for the Exarch. I fear he might be overexerting himself.”

R’ihxa’s ears perked up at that, and her gaze moved past Lyna and towards the Crystal Tower looming over them, where the Exarch was likely hiding. She knew, of course, that the two were close as family, so she would know better then most if something was amiss with the Exarch. And considering the magic he had played with just to bring her here by mistake…she stared at the leaves in her hands. How much suffering was he hiding under that hood?

“I’ll have it ready in a few hours.” She said, placing the leaves aside and pulling over more ingredients. “I’ll also see that he gets it…and actually takes it. I daresay you have to return to your duties?”

“That I do.” She was back in captain mode, but she gave R’ihxa a small, grateful smile. “Thank you, Grimm, I shall leave you to your work. Better he takes one of your potions then eat the leaves plain.”

“…He’s been _eating_ them!?” But Lyna was already on her way out, leaving her to turn back to her workstation in disbelief. Yes, some plants worked better eaten straight out but that wasn’t always the best substitute…she tugged the leaf forward, tore off a corner and tentatively put it in her mouth. Wasn’t the first time she ate something for the sake of alchemy, nor would it be the last. This at least she knew wasn’t poisonous. But moments later, her ears fell flat and she recoiled, spitting the leaf out. For something that smelled sweet it certainly tasted sour! And the Exarch had been eating this vile thing the entire time!?

“And people say I do horrible things to myself…” She hissed, pulling her mask back on and setting to work. With luck, she could ease his suffering without making the medicine taste so bitter. And if not, well, it would still be easier to swallow a potion then a chewed-up leaf.  
~~

A few hours later saw R’ihxa marching across the plaza towards the steps of the tower, potion bottle in hand. True to her word, she had finished the medicine (and made enough to store extra for him if he needed it) and was now on her way to deliver it. But as she neared the steps, she was distracted by the delighted cries of children, and it sounded as if it was coming from the Quadrivium…

She detoured, going past the steps and following her ears instead. She was pretty sure the children were still supposed to be in lessons, so why they were screaming out by the Quadrivium baffled her until she rounded the corner. Ahead of her, underneath what little shade they had against the Light, the children sat in a semi-circle around the Exarch. He had a book in his hands, and it was clear that he was reading them some sort of story. As she stepped closer, she heard them all gasp. Oh dear, sounded like the hero was in some sort of trouble.

“But, as the fearsome dragon reared its claws for another strike, the knight freed his sword from the rocks and struck a mighty blow!” The Exarch certainly was animated with his story telling, he had raised his free hand to mimic the claw of a dragon as he read, swiping it through the air to make the kids squeal and flinch. She slid the potion into her pocket and stood off to the side, listening to the rest of the story with interest. Sounded like quite a battle, and one that was much less terrifying then trying to slay Nidhogg…

“Knocking the creature off balance, the knight struck once again, and the dragon fell into the chasm behind with a final roar. With the dragon defeated, he returned to the tower once more to rescue the princess waiting within, and they lived happily and in peace for the rest of their lives.”

He closed the book to excited cheering, watching with a warm smile as they chattered about their favorite characters and reenacted their favorite parts. His gaze did find her eventually, and he nodded at her in a silent greeting. She gave a small wave in return, unable to contain her smile. The Exarch really had a way with children, they all just seemed to adore him. Easy to see why, he had a calming demeanor to him, and he was quite a good story teller too. R’ihxa decided to wait before giving him the potion, for she didn’t wish to cause any unnecessary anxiety for the kids. Her decision turned out to be a good one, because the children were clamoring for the Exarch’s attention once again.

“Exarch! Won’t you sing for us today?” One young girl chimed, quickly followed by her friends. R’ihxa watched him hesitate, noticing that there was a lyre leaning against the tree behind him. It looked like he had planned on playing for them, and she was interested in hearing him sing. But he was already shaking his head, beginning to explain that he didn’t feel up to it, but that only spurred a chorus of begging and pleading. He had quite a tough audience to please, and perhaps he needed just a little help.

“Now now,” R’ihxa called. “It wouldn’t do any good if he lost his voice mid song, now would it? That’s the first rule of being a Bard, you have to take care of your voice!”

“But Grimm, we want to hear a song!”

“Well, that is a problem.” She folded one arm over her chest, while the other rose to she could tap her cheek in thought. But then, she threw the Exarch a slight grin, silently telling him to play along. “I _suppose_ if the Exarch could be so kind as to let me borrow his lyre, I could sing something for you…”

The children cheered at the idea, and the Exarch looked momentarily stunned, before he smiled at her warmly, offering over his lyre. “Twould be a pleasure to hear you play.”

She took the lyre into her hands, strumming a few chords while she considered what to play for them. Asking for requests was out of the question since she simply didn’t know the usual songs that they sang here on the First. She would simply have to settle for what she knew. She thought back to the story, about the knight and the dragon, and her thoughts drifted to the knights and dragons she knew and the songs they had taught her. She recalled the one Haurchefant taught her what felt like an entire lifetime ago…she might not be singing it in the correct context but…it did fit with the story.

Her fingers strummed the delicate tune, and she began to sing.

__

_“I'll swim and sail on savage seas,_

__

_With never a fear of drowning,_

__

_And gladly ride the waves of life,_

__

_If you would marry me._

__

_No scorching sun nor freezing cold,_

__

_Will stop me on my journey,_

__

_If you will promise me your heart,_

__

_And love me for eternity…”_

Her heart soared as she sang, feeling more like herself then she had in weeks. She enjoyed brewing potions and helping people by making things to ease their pain, but this is who she truly was. She loved performing, loved singing and lifting people’s hearts with her songs. It just felt right, like what she was meant to do.

The children were enraptured, and the Exarch too had trouble tearing his gaze away. He could see the change in her when she started to sing, see the way it filled her with joy and seemed to bring her to life. Her voice carried such passion, and so much love that his own heart skipped a beat. So, this is where his beautiful Ihxa had been hiding all that passion she used to have when they were younger. He couldn’t remember the last time he heard her sing like this, though he did remember the joy they shared when they used to sing together. He half wished he could join her now, the song she sang sounded like it was originally a duet.

__

_“To love and kiss to sweetly hold,_

__

_For the dancing and the dreaming,_

__

_Through all life's sorrows,_

__

_And delights,_

__

_I'll keep your laugh inside me…”_

Being a bard meant singing from the heart, and so she sang for all those she loved. For Fangs, her dearest and closest friend who stuck by her through thick and thin. For Alisaie and Alphinaud, who had become like younger siblings to her. For the Scions, who let her belong to something greater than herself. For Aymeric and the Fortemps who had given her a home when she had no where else to turn. For Haruchefant, who taught her this song and who could now no longer sing it for himself…

For G’raha, who loved her truly, and who she would love till the end of her days.

__

_“I'll swim and sail a savage seas,_

__

_With never a fear of drowning,_

__

_I'd gladly ride the waves so white,_

__

_And you will marry me!”_

The last notes of the song faded, and the children cheered and clapped for her. Breathless, R’ihxa smiled and gave them a little bow. The Exarch took a minute to shake himself out of his reverie, but he soon took charge again, telling them that it was time for them to return to their parents, but not before thanking her. When the last of them had scampered off, he turned to her, smiling brightly.

“And now, I must thank you for that beautiful performance. And warn you that you might be asked for an encore or two…”

“I think I can arrange that.” She replied, handing him the lyre. “I don’t mind, I honestly miss getting to sing like that. I feel like it’s been too long…”

He nodded, understanding that it was likely rather difficult to sing about love when an empire was threatening to slaughter everyone she loved. He was glad that, at least for the moment, he had given her enough of a reprieve to indulge in her art. He had missed hearing her voice, and a small part of him hoped that he was somewhere in the count of those she had thought of while she sang. Selfish, maybe, but it did lead to him getting a treat he never thought he’d have again, even with her on the First. But in thinking about it, what had brought her to seek him in the first place? She tended to work late hours.

“I know we both were distracted, but was there something you needed of me? It’s rare to see you away from your workstation this early…”

“Ah! I almost forgot!” R’ihxa dug around in her pocket, pulling out the potion she had made for him and pressing the bottle into his free hand. “This is for you, it’s medicine for fatigue.”

“But I’m not—”

“Lyna brought me the ingredients and asked me to make this. She’s worried about you…and so am I.”

For a moment, the Exarch seemed stunned, looking at the bottle in his hand as if he couldn’t believe she had gone out of her way to make it for him. It shouldn’t have been such a surprise, she considered him a friend, and she always worried about her friends. Especially when those friends played with dangerous magic and had a literal crystal growing on their body. But then he smiled gently, and slid it into his pocket.

“Thank you…I’ll be sure to take it tonight.”

“I made more, so if you ever need it, just ask me. I imagine that is going to taste better then eating the plant outright…” She made a face as she recalled the taste, and that made the Exarch chuckle. He would give her that much, the Elf Grass really did taste awful, but it was similar enough to an old tribal remedy he had been taught many years ago that he couldn’t help but use it when he felt under the weather.

“If you’re able to make our medicines taste sweeter, then we truly are blessed to have you with us.”

“You really shouldn’t say that before you take the medicine. What if you’re wrong?”

“Even if it tastes bitter, having you here is still a blessing.”

Before, she would have scoffed and said that Grimm wasn’t supposed to be seen as a blessing. She was supposed to be a bad omen. But seeing the way those kids faces had lit up when she sang for them, seeing all the good her potions and even her poisons had been doing for the Crystarium, she was actually starting to believe it. She was doing good here, and seeing the way the Exarch smiled at her only made it more worthwhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I got incredibly sappy and I do not care this is the content I crave. I also didn't use the entire song for reasons (copyright mostly) and also this was already getting longer then I intended it too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its been a very trying few weeks so have something soft. (And admittedly I wrote this way before I started playing but...its still good)
> 
> And for reference, Feo Ul calls R'ihxa 'Nightingale'

The apple tree was a surprise.

Of course, in hindsight, it made sense. The Crystarium was built to be self-sufficient, and since the Flood had wrecked nearly all of the land, they had to grow a lot of their own food. And they had a very impressive garden from what she had seen in her exploring. But seeing an actual, honest to goodness apple tree seemed shocking at the time. It was big too, easily one of the biggest trees they had, so she figured it had been planted a long time ago, probably when the town was just getting on its feet.

R’ihxa retreated there often, when she had been in the lab too long and needed fresh air, or when she needed somewhere quiet to be alone. Sitting at its roots with her back to the trunk, if she closed her eyes against the blinding light, she could almost convince herself she was back in the ancient forests of the Shroud. Almost.

This time, she was smart enough to bring a book to distract from her homesick feelings, and at the very least she could say she was making an effort to not overwork herself. Whether her friends believed her or not remained to be seen. And reading was the best thing she could think to do to calm the sea of anxiety that had settled within her ever since she first arrived on the First. When stranded on one world, best to visit another while waiting for the solution to return home. With the story, she had the option of stopping and returning to her reality whenever she wished.

The primordial light filtering through the leaves left shadows against the pages as she read. The story itself was a welcome change of pace, childish though it might be. Given the horrors she had seen in the past year alone, it was really nice to just read a story that had a happy ending. Good to know those existed somewhere on this gods forsaken world, the real shame was that it was fiction…

“There you are, filiméala!”

Her ears twitched, and she looked up to find the pixie hovering on her left, and judging by that pout, they weren’t particularly happy. That couldn’t be good.

“Hello, Feo Ul, is something the matter?”

“I waited for so long in that lab of yours! And you never came!”

Ah, that’s what they were upset about. It wasn’t exactly like she left a note, and she certainly hadn’t expected anyone to come seeking her out. The most R’ihxa could do at the moment though was offer the pixie an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, we can head back there if you want…” She said, moving to get up. Feo Ul however, shook their head quickly and came to hover right in front of her.

“Nay, I went to see you there so I could take you away from there!” The pixie’s pout had melted into a smile, their irritation seemingly gone, if they were ever irritated to begin with. R’ihxa really had a hard time reading them half the time. “You’re always cooped up, filiméala, I wanted to make sure you spread your wings a little bit. But you seem to have beat me to it, and you chose a magnificent perch too!”

“It’s a beautiful tree…” It was her turn to smile, looking up into the branches towering above her. She couldn’t see any apples on the branches, it was either just after a harvest or far too early for anything to be growing. “I think this might be my favorite spot in the Crystarium…”

The pixie nodded in satisfaction, before hovering over the open pages of the book, their head tilting a little as the read a few of the lines.

“Little old to be reading these, don’t you think?”

“I got sick of reading up on poisons,” She chuckled. “And they’re fun to read, even if they are a little childish at times.”

“I suppose, which one is this that you’re reading?”

“The one with the princess who is put into a death like slumber. I’m not sure I like it though, the way the curse is given to her is really strange.” She flipped back a few pages, skimming for a particular passage and pointing it out once she found it. “Here, it says: ‘The princess shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and fall into a sleep like death’ I mean, death sleep is fine, but a spinning wheel? Is that how you would lay a curse?”

“Tis creative, I shall give it that.” Feo Ul replied, coming to rest on top of R’ihxa’s head. “I imagine the way to lift the curse is equally as creative?”

“Let’s see… ‘Only by true loves kiss can the princess awake from her slumber’, so not really as creative as you’d think…”

“On the contrary, I think the creativity comes from the fact that the princess must find her true love before the curse comes to pass, lest she be trapped in sleep forever.”

They both jumped, and turned to find the Exarch leaning against the trunk, smiling at them in that amused way that led her to think he had been listening to them for a few minutes without saying anything. And she thought Urianger was the worst about sneaking up without making a sound. She threw him a pout, but also scooted over to make room for him to sit, which he did. It was a snug fit, being tucked between two of the tree’s roots, but she didn’t mind the contact. He was familiar enough that she was comfortable with it, and she simply adjusted herself while tapping at the page with a slight frown.

“I know there are those who fall hard and fast, but finding true love with this hanging over your head? That’s not a challenge, that’s just cruel.”

Exarch’s head tilted slightly under the hood. “What makes you think its cruel?”

“Trying to find someone to love you, all of you, deeply and truly, before a curse steals you away forever just…that takes away part of the agency. She isn’t finding love for herself; she’s finding it to save herself. Its forced.”

He seemed to ponder this, and she felt the pixie shift in her hair, and soon saw their upside down face looking into her own, their head tilted.

“Tis still a happy ending though, is it not? The princess gets her prince, does it matter if they were in love at the start? If the spell deemed their love true, then there’s not much to be concerned with.”

R’ihxa opened her mouth to respond, but found she didn’t really have a good argument. At least, not one worth putting forth. It was just a children’s story after all, just because she was a hopeless romantic didn’t mean she needed to overanalyze the story. Feo Ul seemed satisfied with the silence, taking it as a sign of victory, and the let themselves hover off her head.

“We fae always cast spells with the best intentions~ We have a knack for knowing what makes our favorite mortals happy! Remember that, filiméala!” And with that, they vanished, leaving her to stare at where they once floated.

“…did I just lose an argument to a pixie? Over a children’s story?”

“Well…” She didn’t even have to look at him to know he was smiling in amusement. She could hear that on his voice alone. “…they are called _faerietales_ , are they not?”  


Once more, she had no retort, so she simply slumped against the tree pouting at the book that was supposed to ease her worries. Maybe she was just mad that these princesses got their happy endings so easily, while she and her friends worked tirelessly and never seemed to achieve it. They even had been robbed of their true loves on gods know how many occasions—

“Which story is your favorite?”

She glanced his way at the question, but started flipping through the pages to find the story she liked the most. She was pretty sure it was in there…ah! She turned the book towards him, and his hand came to tilt the cover his way so he could read the title.

“The one with the glass slipper?” He sounded surprised, gently lifting the book from her grasp to skim the pages himself. She gave a shrug in response.

“I always liked the setting of a royal masquerade. Plus, she puts work in towards her happy ending. It isn’t simply granted to her because she is a princess. It…it was nice to think that if you put the work in, you could get your happy ending.”

Exarch was quiet as he considered her words, seeing how such a story would be appealing to her. Hard work should offer a suitable reward, but he knew from reading about the Warrior of Light’s adventures that their hard work rarely gave them a just reward. On the contrary, for every problem they solved, two more would appear in its place. Looking over at her, he could see how weary she still was, even now.

“Do you still believe that?”

R’ihxa was quiet for a long moment, gaze staring into the branches above them. She had often considered what her happy ending might have been. It was an answer that changed over time, from achieving fame and fortune as a world-renowned alchemist, to settling down and starting a family with the one she loved most, and now…now she wasn’t sure what her endgame was. Yet…she still did believe there was a good ending for her out there.

“I do.” She said quietly. “I just figured out that, they’re not always as big and bold as the stories say. Sometimes just getting a peaceful ending is all that matters…or any moment of peace really.”

He nodded at that, and they fell into silence, listening to what little sounds of nature still existed within the Light. Her head came to rest on his shoulder, content in the silence they shared. Despite knowing so little about him, his company was a comfort to her. A familiar presence that set her heart at ease, and after so many years of hardships, she would take whatever comforts she could find.

His hand found hers, and he intertwined their fingers and squeezed gently.

Even if it was for only a moment, sitting hidden away under an apple tree, she was grateful for whatever peace she was allowed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy! And I will try to have more out soon!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These keep getting longer but I'm also having so much fun writing them that its worth it. Backstory building is one of my favorite things to do!

Exceptions to the rules always existed, and it was something R’ihxa often had to remind herself of. Yet, when it came to Tia’s, she didn’t exactly _want_ there to be any exceptions. Most of her predictions about them were correct, they just wanted to start up their own tribe or get stronger to return to their tribes to challenge the Nunh, and they always tended to harass her about it. If they didn’t want her to join their cause, they wanted her to make them some potion that would better their odds. It was exhausting, and why she didn’t like dealing with a lot of male Miqo’te in general.

But Fangs had proven her wrong all those years ago, and she was starting to think G’raha would prove her wrong too. An infuriating idea to be sure, since he had already displayed that cockiness back in the Shroud with that little game of his. But for what it was worth, he never once mentioned anything about his tribe, or any interest in being a Nunh. She actually knew very little about what his home life had been like, he rarely spoke of it. All his energies were focused on the Crystal Tower and the mystery of the Allagans.

That wasn’t to say that he didn’t find ways to irritate her, because he certainly did! Her reputation hadn’t preceded her for once, and he often would hover near her workstation and ask questions. Explaining her work was something she was okay with, especially since he seemed to be genuinely intrigued by it. What she didn’t like was when he’d offer to get her test subjects, including himself. As tempting as it was to poison him…

“Are you sure you don’t need me to fetch you a rat or something?” G’raha’s voice rang out behind her, filled with doubt and the smallest hint of concern. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes to the heavens, purely because she was scribbling notes on the pad before her. In her other hand, she held a syringe with a clear liquid inside of it.

“Positive. I don’t need one.” She held the syringe up to the light, marking down the exact measurement of the liquid inside. Behind her, she heard G’raha huff. He had probably folded his arms over his chest and was pouting, the way he always did when his words were doubted.

“And you’re sure you don’t need my assistance?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” She picked up another syringe filled with a pink liquid, and quickly scribbled some notes about it. With that done, she started rolling back her sleeves, picking up the vial with clear liquid in it.

“Then how do you intend to test—” The question died as he locked eyes with her, and watched as she injected herself with the liquid. A liquid that she had told him five minutes ago was snake venom. He stared, horrified as she removed the needle with a satisfied smirk.

“ _That’s_ how I intend to test it.”

“R’ihxa!”

“Oh, relax, this is my method.” She scribbled some symptoms down onto the paper, ignoring G’raha’s panicked spluttering behind her. “Been doing this for years, I have a bit of an immunity now. Plus, there is a healer on site.”

“Does he even know you’re doing this!?”

“Uh…” R’ihxa had to pause at that question, holding up the pink vial to her arm. Did she tell Fangs about today’s experiment? She knew she _meant_ to tell him…but she couldn’t say for certain that she actually got around to it. The hesitation was all G’raha needed to go dashing out of the tent, returning moments later dragging a very confused Fangs in tow. By then, R’ihxa had already administered her antidote, placing the empty needles off to the side while she waited for results. Fangs saw the needles, and he sighed.

“You promised to tell me—”

“I know, I know, it slipped my mind and it won’t happen again.” She didn’t protest when Fangs took her arm and began to bandage the puncture marks. “This one was a little last minute, but it’ll be worth it. The locals won’t have to worry so much about those lake cobras…”

G’raha stared, unable to believe how casual they both were being about the fact that R’ihxa had just injected herself with venom. Were her words serious, did she often use herself as a test subject for her own experiments? Why would she do that to herself? What if something went wrong? What if she got hurt!?

R’ihxa glanced up at him, noting the way his ears were still flat and the way he watched her as if expecting her to drop dead. He really was worried about this…about her…  


“…did you still want to assist me, G’raha?”

His ears perked up immediately, and he nodded enthusiastically. 

“I left my botany guide in Piper’s saddle bag; can you fetch it for me?”

G’raha was already rushing out the tent, eager to help her any way he could. The eagerness worked in R’ihxa’s favor, for as soon as he was out of earshot, she grabbed Fangs by the collar and tugged him close, startling him in the process.

“Cast, Esuna on me. _Now._ ” She hissed.

“I thought you had this under control.” Fangs hissed back, readying his staff for the cast. He could see now that she was paler than normal, and she was gripping the edge of the table tightly. Her antidote hadn’t worked correctly, and she was just barely keeping herself together.

“I did…I just didn’t make it strong enough. It’s not the worst mistake I’ve made!”

Fangs rolled his eyes and cast the spell nonetheless, watching the magic take effect. The poison faded, and some of the color returned to her face. She shook her head to rid it of the fog, hastily scribbling her results down while Fangs looked over her shoulder. He noticed a line about switching the plants in her mixture.

“So, you actually do need your botany guide.” He observed.

“What, you think I just said that to get him out of the tent?”

“After you made a point to poison yourself in front of him? Yes, I do. I also think your pride is going to be the thing that kills you one of these days.”

R’ihxa didn’t have an answer to that, and she was spared having to give one by G’raha’s return. Just as well, she didn’t want to have the conversation about how she figured her death wouldn’t halt the world. The mantle of Grimm was one that could be taken by another, it was why she took such extensive notes, so her work could be replicated after she was gone. She took the book from him with a word of thanks, and promised them both that she was done experimenting for the day.

They both looked relieved at that, and were content to leave her to her work.

~~  
“You’re sure you’re okay staying here?” G’raha’s voice sounded uncertain, arms full of firewood as he followed Fangs back towards their little section of the encampment. Fangs nodded with a small smile, setting his pile down next to the makeshift firepit.

“Yes, I actually enjoy camping out like this.” Fangs knelt next to the firepit, stacking logs up inside it as G’raha set his pile down on top of Fangs’ pile.

“And…R’ihxa is also staying.” There was a careful tone to G’raha’s question, like he was trying very hard to keep it a casual inquiry. It made Fangs smile a little, G’raha really wasn’t that good at hiding his emotions, and his interest in R’ihxa had been fairly obvious from moment one.

“She is. Something about avoiding Alphinaud as much as possible until the moving process is complete.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Fangs saw G’raha’s tail give an excited little twitch. But other than that, he made no show of how pleased he was to hear the news that she was also staying around the camp while they waited for the exploration of the Labyrinth. They knew it would take some time for everyone to gather in one location, but R’ihxa had been adamant that camping out by the tower was better than being bossed around by Alphinaud.

By the time R’ihxa appeared, carrying bags of food and other goods from Revenant’s Toll, the two had gotten the fire started and the sun was beginning to dip on the horizon. She found the two chatting away animatedly, though they both paused when she deposited the bags by their feet.

“I see you two have been busy…” She said, kneeling down to rifle through the bags. She glanced up at the fire as she pulled out some food. “Is the fire hot enough to cook with yet?”

“Not yet, it needs a few more minutes.” Fangs replied, accepting the wrapped package she offered him. From the scent, he could tell it was some meat. “Wait…you got dodo tenderloin?”

“Of course!” She was still pulling out supplies, like some tomatoes and paprika, some skewers and a bag of salt as well. Realizing what she had planned for their dinner, Fangs gave a gentle smile. They had everything they needed to make Meat Miq’abobs, something he was pretty sure he had only mentioned in passing was a favorite of his. He was touched that she remembered. But those weren’t the only goodies she had brought with her.

“Marshmallows?” G’raha sounded surprised as he pulled the bag of fluffy marshmallows from the remaining shopping pile. R’ihxa looked a little sheepish.

“I wanted something sweet, and they didn’t have any Pastry Fish.” She mumbled, reaching a hand out to take the bag back from him. But she winced as she did so, eyeing the bandage from her earlier experiment with a frown. G’raha was quick to notice, and he took over unpacking the rest of the bags. All that remained were a few more vegetables (likely in case anyone wanted a variant on their Miq’abobs), a few bottles of ale, and other necessities for camping out for the night.

R’ihxa tended to the fire while the boys began preparing the food, content to listen to their idle chatter. From what she picked up, G’raha had never tried this version of a Miq’abob before, and he seemed very eager to try it.

“Back home, we usually make them with tuna.” He said, cutting the vegetables and sticking them onto the skewer. Fangs nodded knowingly, handing over the chopped-up meat to be added to the skewers.

“My father would make the tuna ones too, but my mother tended to prefer these…” Fangs sounded wistful, the way he often did when he spoke about his mother. If G’raha caught the hint at Fangs’ true heritage, he didn’t mention it focusing instead on preparing the rest of the skewers before handing the plate back to Fangs so he could begin cooking.

“Have you ever had these, R’ihxa?” He had taken the spot next to her, and was relieved that she didn’t move away from him as she had done previously. Instead, she handed him one of the ale bottles, while looking on at the food.

“Only whenever Fangs makes them, I never got to have them as a child.” She said, working to twist the cap off her own bottle. “Tuna wasn’t easy to come by in the Shroud, and my tribe never really came up with our own variant.”

She glanced up at him, seeing the slight frown on his face and added; “But…my mother baked a lot of things. A lot of things with apples in them…”

Across the fire, Fangs chuckled. “She had to get you to eat them somehow, did she not?”

“Well if those jerks had stopped giving them to me near daily…”

G’raha looked back and forth between them, clearly confused. And it was then that R’ihxa realized she had never told him the joke about the apples. She smiled slightly, and launched into the tale of her misfortune with the apple tree and the fallout that followed. By the time she finished explaining how apples came to be her symbol of good health and fortune, the food was ready, and Fangs was already handing out plates. G’raha accepted his with a word of thanks, but he looked troubled by her story.

“…so you were also bullied…” He said quietly, making R’ihxa pause next to him and give him a curious look. He glanced away. “My eyes drew forth a lot of attention…”

“You aren’t the first Miqo’te to have mismatched eyes.”

“True, but you know better then most how cruel children can be towards something different.” And if he were honest, even some adults still treated him warily. It was one thing to just have mismatched eyes, it was another that one of them was a bright red that wasn’t seen on any creature. He could still feel R’ihxa’s gaze on him, and when he looked, he found her staring intently at him for a moment, before her features softened.

“Well, I like them.” She said matter of fact, turning back to her food. “Both colors are unique, and anyone who mocked you for it was likely jealous.”

G’raha was stunned, but to the careful eye, one could see how her compliment delighted him. His tail gave a happy little twitch, and he was smiling softly as he turned back to his dinner. Just as he was starting to think she didn’t like him…that she would be another among many who didn’t wish to deal with him.

“What the hells are you smirking at, Fangs?” R’ihxa said, eyeing her friend from across the fire. He had been unusually quiet during that whole little exchange…

“Oh, nothing.” Fangs said, still with a little smile on his face. He was glad to see that his previous prediction had been correct, G’raha stood a chance with her after all. “Just nice to see Grimm open up, is all.”

“I’ll poison you.”

“Sure you will.”

G’raha chuckled, so used to their banter by now that he found it endearing. The food was good, and the atmosphere around the fire comfortable, it was the first time in many years that he had felt such comradery. He didn’t dare think of himself too close to either of them yet, but they did have a fair bit in common already. And as the ale bottles emptied, their tongues grew looser, and more stories were shared. Stories of grand adventures and narrow escapes. Of unique discoveries and friends made along the way.

The topic shifted to how they each ended up so far away from their tribes. G’raha’s reason was simple enough, he wanted to know more about the Allagans. To discover the significance of his eye and why his family had the trait in the first place, and joining the Students of Baldesion seemed like the best place to begin his search. Fangs’ reason was pretty humble considering all he had achieved since then, he had simply wanted to pursue goldsmithing (though G’raha was sure he saw R’ihxa give Fangs a look during that explanation, like something wasn’t being said). R’ihxa’s reason was she wished to pursue her alchemy, and just escape from her tribe in general. She also explained that the escape was the reason she leaned so hard into her Grimm identity.

“You really went out of your way to make yourself unapproachable.” G’raha observed, sticking a marshmallow onto a stick.

“Well, yeah! I’m the creepy one who ate the poisoned apple!” She cried, waving around her marshmallow on a stick. “They were afraid of me ever since, so I decided to just make it easier for them. People aren’t supposed to like me…I learned that long ago.”

Fangs looked up at that, and noted that G’raha still had his gaze on her as she held her marshmallow over the fire again. She didn’t look at all bothered by what she said, she simply accepted it as a fact of her life. Fangs knew this, but it still disheartened him to see his friend think of herself so. 

“…well, then you messed up.” G’raha said softly. “Because I like you…”

Fangs saw her stiffen, saw the way her ears perked up slightly and the surprise that filled her eyes. She looked at him, searching for any hint of a trick or a lie, but she found nothing but sincerity. He actually meant it. Her recovery was quick, giving G’raha a smirk and a playful whack of her tail.

“I’ll make you regret those words~” She sang, turning to find her marshmallow had burnt to a crisp. “Aw…”

“I doubt that…” G’raha chuckled, and the way his gaze was filled with such warmth as he watched her made Fangs sure that he meant it too. She wouldn’t be driving him away so easily. And Fangs knew her, and knew she didn’t really want him gone either.

He got that confirmation as they were packing up to retire for the night. G’raha had gone on ahead, but R’ihxa lingered, staring at his retreating form with uncertainty. Fangs could practically see the wheels turning in her head, trying to determine what his ulterior motive might be. But they both knew G’raha was not a gifted liar, and Fangs knew his feelings were genuine. R’ihxa seemed to be realizing that too, for there was the smallest bit of intrigue and hope in her gaze.

She caught Fangs staring at her, and quickly shuffled away toward the tents, ears dipping a bit at her embarrassment of being caught. Fangs just smiled and followed after them both. He had a feeling the two of them would get on great, and he was glad to see his prediction was coming true. R’ihxa just needed a bit of a helpful nudge in order to fully take the plunge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next one may take me a little bit longer as midterms are fast approaching but I'll try to have something ready soon! Hope you all enjoyed this~


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: There is an assault scene in this and this is the clearest warning I can give you. There's also just mentions of emotional abuse, and if you are uncomfortable with that stuff, I suggest skipping this drabble altogether.
> 
> Also I'm very sorry for the delay with this one! Not only was I trying to be careful with the subject material but I also had to deal with recovering from an illness and midterm stuff! But I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy and I thank you for your patience!
> 
> I'll be nicer to R'ihxa, I swear. But developing her tribe and backstory has been a lot of fun.

The R tribe hadn’t been completely eradicated in the Calamity; some few members had been fortunate enough to survive. But with their home land completely decimated, none really thought it worth trying to gather everyone back up to start anew. They didn’t have the numbers or the resources to fully rebuild, most were content to just find work in Gridania, or travel elsewhere. But there were a few that were too stubborn to let their tribe die out fully. Not that it really ever mattered to her, she hadn’t felt like a part of the tribe since her father had died.

R’ihxa would bump into old tribe members now and again on her travels or when she was back in Gridania, and most of the exchanges were pleasant. But there were a few she tried her best to avoid if she could, old Tia’s who saw the opportunity to make their own tribes and become Nunh that way. As if they were truly fit for such a position! Near as she could tell, none had managed to recruit enough females or find a place to settle down or establish connections. And it was in that regard that her reputation was a little bit of a curse…

“R’ihxa, there you are.” The voice was familiar, but in the way that made her stiffen, hand itching to reach for a poison dart. Oh great, of all the people to find her.

“Thal take me.” She muttered before turning to face her ‘childhood friend’. “What do you want, R'chibah?”

Even to this day, he still regarded her like she was a cursed child. A realization made more startling by the fact that he was damn near a spitting image of his father. The two of them standing facing each other reminded her what a stark difference there had been in their tribe. She got her looks from her father, the purple color to her hair had been his as was her more slender build, while R’chibah had gotten his father’s dark chestnut colors and bulkier form. They were so different; it was a shock that they once shared a tribe.

“Is that really how you greet family?”

“We’re not blood related, as you were very adamant to remind me of when we were children.” Her reply was curt, and she turned away from him to continue down the path past the falls on her way to the Botanists Guild. Unfortunately, he followed her, determined to have her attention.

“Ah well, we all do foolish things when we’re young.” He had the nerve to chuckle, as if those ‘foolish things’ hadn’t scarred her in ways he would never understand. “But I won’t keep you for long, I was just curious if you’ve given my proposal any thought.”

Of course, that was what he wanted, and she sighed, coming to a stop and facing him. Perhaps now she could put this matter to rest and move on, hopefully without ever having to see him again.

“Look, R’chibah, I will not stand in your way if you want to start up the tribe again. But I have no interest in joining you.”

His eyes narrowed, and R’ihxa felt her heart beat faster. Once more she was itching to grab one of her darts, but she didn’t dare make a move so rash just yet. Nothing had even happened; she was working herself up over essentially nothing. They weren’t children anymore; she could stand up to him!

“I suppose I just don’t understand why you’re refusing…” R’chibah spoke slowly, but that didn’t hide the frustrated edge to his voice. It was her turn to squint at him, for she figured her reasons for not wanting to join would have been obvious, what with the whole detail that they hated each other since childhood. Still, she chose her next words carefully to avoid insulting him.

“I have other obligations.” She said, which was the truth. Both the Botanist and Alchemy Guilds kept her pretty busy most days, and she also had work from the Scions too. And there was NOAH as well, she was still waiting on word from them about the preparations to explore the tower.

“So, you’ll just abandon your tribe.” His voice was flat now, gaze hardening into a glare. Her own anger began to flare, making her ignore the feeling that she needed to get away from him. She was so tired of him trying to walk all over her, trying to diminish her accomplishments. He had always done that when they were younger, and it was why his offer had come as a surprise. Why, all of a sudden, did he want her input on tribal matters? Why did he want her help to rebuild?

“I can’t abandon something that’s been dead for years.” R’ihxa snarled, hands curling into fists. She didn’t need to mention how she had never really felt like she belonged, they both knew that much. “Are you so desperate to lead that you’re coming to me of all people? Because if you think I would _ever_ consider partnering with you—”

He moved so fast; she didn’t even have a chance to react. He slammed her into the stone, a hand pressing against her throat. In her panic, her hands came up to claw at his wrist, trying to pull his hand away. But he was stronger, and while he wasn’t putting too much pressure against her neck, the fear was setting in and she was struggling to breathe.

“I’m giving you a chance to get off your high chocobo and actually be helpful to us.” He snarled, gaze filled with so much anger and hatred. Had he always hated her so deeply? “You think you’re so much better than us, leaving us behind and tricking the rest of the world that you’re so great? If they knew what a _curse_ you were—"

He didn’t get to finish whatever he was about to say, just as quickly as he pounced on her, he was being yanked away. She gasped and coughed as someone inserted themselves between her and R’chibah, and she caught sight of a very familiar tattoo.

“G…G’raha…” She gasped, her own hand rubbing at her neck. She could still feel the way his fingers pressed against her skin, how easily he could have hurt her. Maybe even killed her. G’raha glanced back at her, gaze filled with a protective fury she had never seen from him before. He turned his attention back to R’chibah, and she could hear the low growl he gave. The tension between them weighed heavily in the air as they sized each other up, leaving R’ihxa to shrink back against the wall. It seemed to last for an eternity, but finally, G’raha spoke.

“I was wondering where you had wandered off too.” He kept his tone light, but there was still a dangerous edge to it as he kept his gaze on R’chibah. “We’re going to be late, the Seedseers are expecting us.”

R’ihxa almost asked him what the hells he was talking about, she had no meeting with the Seedseers and she was pretty sure G’raha had never even met them before. But she saw the way R’chibah hesitated, and realized what G’raha was doing. It was a very clever lie, because her connection with the Seedseers was very well known, and the last thing R’chibah needed was to get in trouble with the leaders of the city themselves.

“You’re right…” She said, straightening up and giving R’chibah a withering look. She hoped he couldn’t see how she was still shaking. “Let’s go.”

G’raha kept close to her as they both stepped past R’chibah and began making their way towards the Conjurers Guild. And in that moment, she was too shaken to really question his protectiveness and was grateful he was there. She kept her gaze forward, not daring to look behind her for fear that they were being followed. She was sure she could still feel his murderous glare stabbing her in the back…

“Is he still watching us…?” She whispered when they were far enough away. G’raha glanced over his shoulder.

“No, he’s gone.” 

R’ihxa gave a shaky sigh, feeling both relieved, and still fearful. Relieved because he was gone, but fearful because she had no idea where he had gone. What if he found her later? What if he waited until she was alone again…she got lucky this time, but there was no guarantee she’d be lucky next time. She couldn’t even defend herself! What use were her darts if she couldn’t even stab her attacker with them when she needed too! Was she really so pathetic—

“R’ihxa…” G’raha’s voice was soft, but she still flinched. He was looking at her now, gaze filled with concern. “Where do you want to go?”

“What…?”

“Where would you feel safe?”

She slowed to a stop as she considered his question. Where would she feel safe? It almost felt like a loaded question, she hadn’t felt like she could let her guard down in years, even in the spaces she felt comfortable. The Waking Sands and Rising Stones were out, she really didn’t fancy being pulled into extra work for the move. They could go back to the Crystal Tower, but work awaited them there as well, and she wasn’t ready to throw herself back into that either. Her mother was close by over in Hyrstmill but…bringing her into this wasn’t fair. She was an adult now; she could handle her problems…or so she thought. G’raha waited patiently for her answer, and she could see in his gaze that he just wanted to help her…and she didn’t want to send him away.

“…You know the Treespeak Stables?” She asked quietly, and when he nodded, she continued. “I stabled Piper there…I want to go see her.”

G’raha smiled softly, and began to lead her to the Yellow Serpent Gate.  
~~

Treespeak Stables was a nice place to raise Chocobo, the quiet and peaceful environment was ideal for the birds. R’ihxa preferred to leave Piper here than in the main stables of Gridania, because it was less crowded. Piper was a bit of a pushy bird at times, she was a lot like her owner, she needed her own space.

As they entered the stable, R’ihxa spotted her bird immediately, since Piper was the only bird there with purple feathers. She gave a soft whistle, smiling when Piper stuck her head up and kweh’d back in glee. R’ihxa hurried forward, arm outstretched to pat Piper’s beak as she stuck her head down to greet her. G’raha followed in her wake, keeping a respectable distance.

“Hi pretty girl…” R’ihxa cooed, running her fingers through soft feathers and scratching underneath her chin. “Have you been behaving?”

Piper tilted her head, staring at her owner for a moment. She seemed to sense something was amiss with the Miqo’te, because her response was a gentle chirp and to give R’ihxa a gentle nip to her ear. Her laugh was soft as she let Piper dote over her for a moment, before she opened the stable door to let herself in. Instead of reaching for a brush or anything to begin tending to Piper, she simply stepped forward to embrace her, hiding her face into her feathers. Piper didn’t seem to mind, her response was to puff up her feathers a bit, offering quiet chirps. To G’raha, it sounded like she was asking R’ihxa if she was okay. He stepped a little closer, but hesitated when Piper turned her attention towards him.

“Hey Piper…” He greeted the chocobo cautiously, not sure if he was allowed to get closer. Piper stared at him for a long moment, before seeming to deem him worthy. She chirped at him expectantly, and when he reached a hand out, she nudged her beak into it at once. G’raha had to smile at that, it was nice to know the bird remembered him, even if he was just ‘that guy who grabbed stuff from the saddlebag’.

“She likes you a lot…” R’ihxa said softly. G’raha turned his gaze to her, and found her watching Piper with curiosity.

“You think so?” He asked, and while he was distracted, Piper took the opportunity to nip at his ear as well. “Ah...!”

“Yeah, she only really nips my and Fangs’ ears. It’s how she shows affection.” She looked amused as she patted the side of Piper’s neck to get her attention. “Congratulations, you’ve been deemed worthy by the most spoiled bird in Gridania.”

Piper chose to respond to that by giving R’ihxa more nips and nudges, as if she were reminding her owner who spoiled her so much in the first place. Seeing the way her face lit up, seeing how easily she giggled, it made G’raha smile softly. He was glad that R’ihxa seemed to be feeling a little better, or at the very least, more comfortable. He had no plans to ask her the details of what caused that altercation, curious as he was, he knew now was not the time, and it really wasn’t any of his business…

But it was as they readied Piper for the trip back to Mor Dhona that he was allowed a glimpse. He agreed to help get the chocobo ready, since he would be riding back with R’ihxa. He tried to refuse, saying he could rent his own chocobo for the trip, but she was having none of it. As he tightened the straps of Piper’s barding, he looked up to find R’ihxa staring at him, gaze curious like she was trying to figure out a puzzle. 

“Is something wrong?”

“…I would have thought you’d ask about it by now…” She said uncertainly. He was quiet for a moment, finishing up the straps before fixing his gaze on her.

“You can tell me whenever you feel ready. If you wish to tell me, that is.”

Silence fell over them again as she considered his words. Part of her wasn’t sure she wanted to tell, but at the same time, she owed G’raha some sort of explanation. And it wasn’t like he would use the information against her, he wasn’t that type of person. She watched Piper for a minute, seeing how she played with G’raha as he tried to get the rest of her barding on. Piper really liked him, she could tell that much easily, and she always trusted her chocobo’s judgement. G’raha was trustworthy, she could trust him with this.

“R’chibah…he was a member of my tribe…I grew up with him.” She spoke softly, and G’raha paused to listen. Even Piper settled down enough to listen intently. “He was always part of the group that antagonized me. I just…I never realized how much he hated me…”

“What reason would he have to hate you?” 

“Jealousy, probably.” She said with a shrug. “He was the first born of the new Nunh, and was being bred to take over the position. But he never liked how much his father cared for me. He liked to remind me that my father was dead and a disgrace…”

G’raha didn’t say anything, but he looked downright offended. That guy behaved like that, and thought he was fit to be a leader? A Nunh was supposed to care for all of the tribe, not make one feel so ostracized that they loathed being a part of a tribe at all…it was little wonder R’ihxa kept everyone at arms length. G’raha had been bullied himself thanks to his eyes but it had never reached levels like that. He didn’t automatically distrust everyone who spoke to him, quite the opposite.

“If he despises you so, then why did he seek you out?”

“I think it’s because I have connections.” R’ihxa said bitterly. She had wondered the same thing, but with the fear gone, she realized that all he wanted was to use her. Her reputation, her connections, everything she worked hard for under the title that was supposed to bring her down. “He tried to propose it to me as if I’d be joining a new tribe, but he doesn’t want that, he just wants to use me to get what he wants.”

She looked so sad in that moment, like she really believed that she was worth so little to everyone that he had half a mind to go back into the city to hunt R’chibah down and punch him in the face. He wanted to tell her how amazing she was, she was smart and dedicated to both her work and those she cared for. And he knew she cared deeply, he could see it in the way she tended to Piper, or how hard she worked to solve problems for Fangs or for NOAH…she always gave everything she had, and seemed to expect nothing in return. He wished he could give her everything she deserved and more.

Instead of pouring his heart out and embarrassing himself though, he stepped around Piper so he could see her more clearly. He considered taking her hands, but decided against it. She might not want physical contact right now…

“You don’t need to join a tribe; you already have us.”

R’ihxa stared at him in surprise, and he felt his confidence waver, heat rising in his cheeks. “That is, I mean…you have all of us at NOAH! Not…not that it’s a tribe per say but…we’re still a family! If you want one, I know…I know you’re able to take care of yourself and might not really need one…”

He was so flustered about it, and so sincere about it too, that she couldn’t help but giggle. The noise made him pause, looking uncertain and definitely a little embarrassed with himself. It was cute, and she gave him a small smile. Those words meant a lot to her, more then he might ever realize.

“I know I do…and I’m glad I have all of you.” She hesitated, as if there was more she wanted to add, but she seemed to decide against it. “Its just nice to be reminded of it.”

G’raha looked relieved and opened his mouth to reply, likely to say that he would be happy to remind her of that fact, but he was interrupted by Piper giving a very loud and impatient kweh. He looked at the chocobo, clearly startled, but R’ihxa rolled her eyes.

“Yes, your highness, we’ll leave soon. Dunno why you’re in such a hurry when you’re going to be carrying two all the way back to the tower.”

Piper ruffled her feathers at that, as if accepting the challenge offered to her. While he was a little sad that their moment was over, he reminded himself that he still had plenty of opportunities to try and show her how much she was worth. He’d find a way, he just needed time, and a not so antsy chocobo. But for the moment, he focused on getting her back to the tower safely. With how adamant she had been that he ride with her, he had a feeling she really did not want to be alone, and he was happy to keep her company.  
~~

Fangs knew something was off with R’ihxa when she arrived at camp. He wasn’t surprised to see that G’raha was with her, he had made it very clear that he wanted to go fetch her, and Fangs thought they deserved some quality time. But both of them looked troubled as they dismounted, and R’ihxa seemed to be taking extra care to avoid him as she led Piper to the makeshift stable. Their strange behavior wasn’t the only giveaway that something was wrong, he had a very reliable source to confirm things were awry.

The Echo granted him the unique ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of most animals, which for him, meant he could clearly understand Piper’s anxiousness for her owner. The chocobo looked at him as he approached, and kweh’d at him in a way that clearly said ‘fix her please!’. Fangs reached up to give Piper a reassuring pat on the beak.

“Did she handle the trip okay?” He asked casually, watching as R’ihxa took the saddle bag off. Nothing about her appeared to be wrong, and yet she was still too tense. He glanced at G’raha, noting that he also was watching R’ihxa in concern.

“I think so, she seemed to handle the extra weight okay.” R’ihxa handed off the saddle bag to G’raha and gave Piper a few pats. “She’ll still need some rest though, and I think she’s earned some treats too.”

Her voice was casual, but she still was avoiding eye contact, and what was more, he noticed that she hadn’t taken her scarf off yet. He knew the trip through Corethas was chilly but, Mor Dhona wasn’t that cold…

“R’ihxa, are you—”

“Actually, Fangs, before I forget, there was something I wanted to discuss with you about the trip into the Labyrinth!” 

Fangs looked at G’raha a little startled by the sudden outburst and a little frustrated that he chose now to bring it up. At least, until he saw G’raha glance at R’ihxa before giving him a meaningful look. He didn’t want to talk about the Labyrinth, he wanted to talk about her. He nodded in understanding, relieved that someone was going to shed some light on the situation.

“R’ihxa, would you mind preparing something for Earthshaker too? I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

“Of course, I’ll take care of him.” She gave him a small smile, before turning her attention to the chocobo who lifted his head at the sound of his name. At least the chocobo seemed to be comforting her for the time being, and that was comfort enough for Fangs to follow G’raha out of earshot.

“Did something happen in Gridania?”

“That would be the mildest way to put it.” Now that he was able to display it, G’raha made no effort to hide his anger. Fangs was taken aback by it; he had never seen him so upset before. “She had a run in with a former tribe member…I believe his name was R’chibah?”

“Ah…” The name provided enough information, and Fangs already understood her shakiness. He remembered the stories she used to tell him when she’d visit him in Ul’dah. “He’s still bothering her about restarting the tribe?”

“He assaulted her over it.”

_“He what!”_ Fangs didn’t mean to shout, but he couldn’t help it. He understood G’raha’s anger fully now, and his own shock was quickly turning to fury. Fury that only built up as G’raha explained the details; how he had searched the city for R’ihxa only to find her pressed against a wall with a hand squeezing her neck. Fangs was glad G’raha had intervened, though he was a little sad to hear that R’chibah had escaped without a broken nose. He had half a mind to go back to Gridania and fix that mistake himself, and he was fairly certain G’raha would gladly back him up.

“She needs us here.”

Fangs looked up, startled, and realized G’raha was giving him a knowing look. At least his back up bet looked like it would have been correct. But he was also right, R’ihxa didn’t need them to fight her enemies, she needed them here with her. He would deal with R’chibah another day, for the moment, he would ensure that she was okay.

“Then we best not keep her waiting.”

R’ihxa wasn’t with the chocobo when they returned, but both birds helpfully informed Fangs where she had wandered off too. Their favorite spot for campfires seemed a lot smaller in the daylight, but she was sitting at her favorite perch nonetheless, gaze fixated on the Keeper of the Lake in the distance. Her ears twitched at their approaching footsteps, and she glanced at them as they sat on either side of her. Silence fell over them, and Fangs internally sighed. She was so stubborn sometimes…

“How long do you intend to hide it from me?”

She stiffened, before slowly turning to look at G’raha. He looked a little sheepish, but otherwise he didn’t waver under her gaze. “You never told me not to tell him.”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice the scarf?” Fangs added. R’ihxa didn’t have an answer for either of them, but the way her shoulders hunched up told them that she wasn’t pleased with this line of questioning.

“It’s not as bad as it sounded…” Her attempt was feeble, and her tail pressed against her thigh while her ears fell flat. “I just…didn’t want anyone to see. To worry over nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing, R’ihxa!” G’raha sounded agitated again. “He had no right to lay his hands on you like that! If I had been there sooner, I would have—”

Fangs quieted him with a look, and fixed R’ihxa with a gentle gaze. She looked so small at that moment, it reminded him of the day he found her wandering the Sapphire Exchange, scared and alone. Curling into herself to try and protect herself as best she could. It saddened him to see her return to such a state, and he wondered the extent of the damage R’chibah had done to her confidence and self-worth.

“I can heal it so no one can see it at all.” He reminded her quietly. “Please, Ihxa, let me see…”

He didn’t use that name for her very often, but it always seemed to work when he did. Her eyes filled with tears, and she cast her gaze to the heavens as she reached up to tug the scarf away. He could see the dark bruises that had formed on her skin, an ugly reminder of her encounter. He noted G’raha adverting his gaze, likely because the sight of the marks would only send him into a fury again. Mercifully though, it was an easy fix, and a quick cast repaired the physical damage. He might not be able to heal her emotionally with magic, but he could at least help take the reminder away.

“Is that better?” He asked, and she nodded. She didn’t trust her voice at the moment, but the pain was gone, and the knowledge that no one would know her shame did help lift the anxiety from her chest. Anxiety that only returned when G’raha started to get up.

“We should leave you be…” He said, only to be startled by her grabbing his wrist and tugging him back. Her other hand found Fangs’ and she gripped it tightly. She couldn’t bring herself to look at either of them but…

“…please don’t leave me alone…” There was a small tremble to her voice, and the two Tia’s looked at each other in silent understanding. She needed them more than they thought.

“We wouldn’t dream of it.” Fangs said, squeezing her hand reassuringly. G’raha nodded, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand to try and calm her down. R’ihxa seemed to relax a little at that, and they sat together in silence for a long while, until she voiced her exhaustion. G’raha led her back to the tents, with Fangs not far behind. He noted how convenient it was that it was the same tent that most of G’raha’s research had been in…and noted that R’ihxa hadn’t let go of G’raha’s hand.

But those details he would focus on later. He and G’raha still had a Labyrinth to navigate, and they also began making plans on what _exactly_ they would do to R’chibah if they ever ran into him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning that the next one might also take me a bit to write since I have to do some research. And that research involves me replaying some of the Alliance Raids. Lord help me.
> 
> But G'raha going feral to protect those he cares for? Chefs kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can think of no better way to celebrate me surviving finals crunch then with some hurt/comfort and some pining! Seriously, I've been working on this one for a while but, academic papers will always take priority. But those are all done now!

Saint Coinach's Find was busier than usual that day, with adventurers pulled from far and wide gathered at the little research camp. Fangs and R’ihxa’s work had paid off, and the recruitment was finally complete. The day to explore the Labyrinth had arrived at last, and all were busy with their final preparations. Well, _almost_ all…

G’raha was fuming as he stormed through the camp, still unhappy with the decision that he couldn’t go with them to explore the Labyrinth. He was designated to staying behind and providing further research, even though he argued that everything he needed to research was in the labyrinth to begin with! How was he supposed to know what to look up if he didn’t get to see any of the action!? It just wasn’t fair.

He had at least kept it together in front of Fangs, putting on a smile and making the warrior promise to be safe and to not break anything valuable. Fangs had enough on his plate, trying to wrangle so many adventurers…he didn’t need anything added to his troubles. And while the large number of people who had answered the call was reassuring, he still felt like he should be going along too…

_“...’round the shimmering pond, all are joining in song, as it carries their reverie on…”_

He paused, ears twitching in the direction of the song. It was soft melody, and one he was very familiar with. He didn’t think there was a bard in Eorzea who didn’t know this song… He rounded the corner and found the source. R’ihxa had found a place away from the bulk of adventurers, and it was her voice that was being gently carried to him. G’raha had heard her hum to herself while she worked on her potions, but he never had the pleasure of hearing her truly perform before now. The passion her voice had, the quiet longing that fit with the melody of the song, it made his heart skip a beat, and he couldn’t tear his gaze away.

Which meant that when she finished and turned to find him standing there, he was still gaping at her in awe. He faltered, feeling heat rising in his face, but she didn’t look irritated as she strode over to him. She actually looked pleased to see him.

“Just warming up, but I couldn’t hear myself back there.” She stopped in front of him with a curious gaze. “Are we ready to go in?”

“Ah…not yet.” He needed to pull himself together. It took him a moment to realize she had said ‘we’, and the disappointment came rushing back. “And…I’m afraid it’ll just be you and the rest. I’ve been told to stay behind.”

“What? But you’re the resident Allagan expert.” R’ihxa looked as incredulous as he felt, and he was glad someone else was upset about the decision. “Why do they need you here?”

“Research purposes.”

“…They realize that the things you need to research are inside, right?”

“They said linkpearl communication would be sufficient enough to pass along information.” G’raha said with a frustrated sigh. “There’s no changing this I’m afraid…so, please be careful.”

“Always am. Or…I try to be.” She hesitated, and tried to shake off the uncertainty, but G’raha noticed. Her perky behavior was a rather poor cover for her nerves. She had been like that for most of the day, if she wasn’t doing her best to avoid some of the other recruits.

“Are you certain you’re up for this? You seem…on edge.”

“Well, I am disappointed you and I won’t be a powerful bard duo in there.” She said, playfully bumping her shoulder against his. When he didn’t look amused, she relented. The smile faded from her face, and her gaze drifted toward the tower in the distance. “I won’t lie, I’m a little wary. I don’t see a lot of action with the Scions… this is one of those rare times I actually can accompany Fangs into battle.”

He nodded, understanding her concerns. R’ihxa wasn’t blessed with the Echo, so the most she could ever do was clear a path and keep the beastmen at bay while Fangs went in alone to fight the primals. Constantly watching her friend throw himself in mortal peril and being able to do nothing to help…he was beginning to understand that specific type of anxiety. He wished he could do more! 

“But…it’ll be okay. I won’t let him get hurt, and I don’t think there’s anything in there that could be worse than a primal. I can handle this… _we_ can handle this.” She was looking at him again, and this time her smile was a little more genuine. “We’ll be back before you know it.”

“I still wish I could do more for you…”

She looked thoughtful for a moment, before an idea came to her. “Well, I can think of two things you could do…”

He blinked at her in confusion, waiting for her to elaborate.

“First, you can tell me everything you know about what kind of traps the Allagans might have favored.” 

That was reasonable enough, he had been specifically looking into that for the last few nights, anticipating some nasty surprises lurking within the walls. “And second?”

“When we come back, you owe me a song. Since you can’t sing with me in there, you can sing with me when we return. Sound fair?”

He smiled a little at that, and nodded, watching her own gaze light up with joy when he agreed. “We’ll sing of your victory.”

~~  
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

R’ihxa was dimly aware of the sounds of a battle raging around her, the crashes and clangs of metal and the flashes of various spells. In the pale golden light, she could make out the large stonework that made up the room they were in, and the platform they rested on. She tried to lift herself up to see what exactly was happening, but when she moved, pain coursed through her chest, and she gasped.

The world around her came into sharp focus with the pain, and she realized she was indeed laying off to the side of a battle. In the center, Fangs was leading the charge against a hulking monster, while their many allies ran around the field, chasing down the lesser monsters and trying to keep everything distracted in the center. In her daze, she recognized a few. A silver carbuncle darted past her, and not far behind it was its summoner, Lorna. She spotted the hazy outline of Temulun dueling with a ghostly figure, and behind her Saminna was guarding one of the pots on the dias. She was also sure she saw someone in dragoon armor go sailing past as well, but she couldn’t be certain. It was chaos, and no one really seemed to notice that she had been knocked down…

The carbuncle appeared in front of her again, sniffing at her face for a minute before taking up a defensive stance in front of her. Well, at least it was some protection, but she couldn’t just lay there. She had to help! She was a bard damn it; she could sing something to raise their spirits! Yet, when she inhaled, the pain in her chest doubled, and she wheezed. 

“Shiranui, what are you—oh hells!” 

Lorna’s worried face appeared in R’ihxa’s vision, and she felt the warmth of a healing spell spread through her chest. It wasn’t enough for her to get up, but it helped her breathe a little easier.

“T-The others…” She wheezed, but Lorna shook her head. 

“The monster’s almost down, look…” She shifted so R’ihxa could see the rest of the team all attacking the monster at once. She couldn’t tell who had landed the finishing blow, but the monster eventually crumbled at their might to a chorus of cheers. She could see Fangs look relieved that the fight was done, but the moment only lasted for a split second before he shifted into healer mode, taking stock of everyone’s injuries. 

“No major accidents, right? We can move on to the next bit?” The dragoon said, and Lorna rolled her eyes.

“Are you so blind in that helmet that you can’t see R’ihxa’s down!?”

That got their attention, and Fangs was the first to rush to her side. He looked so worried, almost afraid, and she hated it. She didn’t want to cause him worry, she wasn’t that hurt! She was just…taken by surprise, that’s all! Fangs set to work, examining her injuries, and she weakly tried to protest. He was being too much of a worrier…

“I’m…I’m fine, I can keep going.” A very hard claim to make when she couldn’t even prop herself up on her arms. But it was fine! She just needed some more potions and some spells! She could see this through to the end!

Fangs shook his head. “R’ihxa, you have at least one broken rib. Maybe two, you’re in no condition to continue.”

“You’re a white mage, that’s an easy fix for you!”

“White Mages can’t fix weapons though.” Temulun’s voice came from the right, and R’ihxa craned her neck to see what she was talking about. In her hands was the broken remains of her bow…and staring at it, R’ihxa remembered the snapping noise she had heard when she had been sent flying. It wasn’t just her bones that had broken…and now she really was powerless. She didn’t have a weapon to fire, and she was in too much pain to even sing the songs they needed. She was dead weight to them now.

Her ears flattened as she fell back against the floor, staring at the dark ceiling above. She could feel several gazes on her, and heard as Fangs gave orders for the different teams. One was to stay behind to hold this location, while the others were to fan back to check for more threats while they waited for supplies and replacements. She kept her gaze locked skyward, she didn’t want to see the concern and pity from the others. She wouldn’t let them know just how much pain she was in.

A plan that fell apart very quickly when she was lifted onto a stretcher. Even with the several spells cast on her from a few different healers, it didn’t stop her from screaming in pain and passing out before they could settle her comfortably on the stretcher. 

~~  
“We can’t let them go back in there if it’s that dangerous! Look at what happened to her! At least let me go with—”

“No, G’raha, we need you here. They gave you plenty of descriptions about what they faced, the best way you can help them is to research them.”

R’ihxa stirred, blinking blearily up at the deep red fabric of the tent’s ceiling. She was laying on one of the cots, propped up with several pillows and wrapped with a blanket. The voices were coming from just outside the tent, and she turned her head towards the sound, wincing at the stiffness she felt. She recognized G’raha’s voice, and she was pretty sure the other one belonged to Rammbroes. She had never heard G’raha sound so agitated before.

She wanted to get up to go see what they were arguing about, but when she moved to sit up, pain shot through her chest. She gasped and fell back, not daring to move for fear of new pain, and it was only when the pain subsided a bit that she lifted the blanket gingerly. Someone had removed her chest piece, and bandages wrapped around her torso. She recalled her last moments in the Labyrinth…Fangs had said she broke one or two ribs…even with magic that was not an injury that was quick to heal…

She couldn’t move, couldn’t leave to hide her shame. She was stuck there until she improved, and she was stuck knowing that she had failed Fangs. She wasn’t at his side where she was supposed to be, she had been careless and it had cost her dearly. How was she supposed to help him from here!? All she could do was stare at the ceiling and imagine all the horrors that he was facing without her. Because she had been sloppy…reckless…useless.

Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she turned her head to face the wall of the tent. Her timing was fortunate, because she could hear footsteps headed her way. Perhaps she could feign sleep, and pray that the light in the tent was dim enough to hide the fact that the tears were now streaming down her cheeks…

“R’ihxa…?”

G’raha’s voice was so soft and filled with worry, that she couldn’t stop herself from turning to face him. He was carrying a potion bottle in his hand, and his eyes widened in alarm upon seeing her awake and crying. Awake he was expecting but…

“Are you in pain?” He rushed to her side, placing the bottle on the table beside her cot as he knelt down to asses her. She shook her head, bringing a hand up to try and wipe away her tears. His concern for her only made her cry harder. G’raha looked like he was on the verge of panic, completely unsure how to handle her sobs. If it wasn’t the pain, then what was making her weep so? He didn’t dare embrace her for fear of actually causing more pain, so he settled for taking her free hand and squeezing it gently, talking to her soothingly until the worst of it passed.

“I-Its okay, you’ll be just fine. The healers did all they could and you’ll make a full recovery.”

“Its…its not okay!” R’ihxa said, wiping her cheek again. She realized there was a little purple on her palm, which meant her tears were smearing her face paint. Wonderful. “I-I messed up! I shouldn’t be here…I failed him!”

“R’ihxa…even the best warriors still get injured.”

“But what good am I now!? I can’t help Fangs from here!” With the way her face paled, G’raha had a feeling the strain of her crying and shouting was aggravating her ribs, but she continued. “I’m supposed to be helping him, but all I ever do is cause him more trouble! I…I’m not worth that…being useful is all I’m good for and…and if I can’t even do that…”

Her earlier wariness finally made sense to him, and he stared at her in disbelief. So that’s what it was, her self-loathing and insecurity had finally broken its barriers…all because of a slip up that took her out of the group. G’raha noticed she hadn’t been the same since her encounter with R’chibah, no matter how she tried to hide it. He noticed the uncertainty and the reckless drive to prove herself in some way, and now it landed her with an injury that would take weeks to heal properly. And if she was tying her self-worth to her usefulness to others…

“That’s enough, R’ihxa…”

It was her turn to stare at him in disbelief, eyes puffy and face smeared with tears and paint. But G’raha wasn’t looking at her, he was busy fiddling with the medical supplies the healers had left out. He wasn’t anywhere near confident enough to change her bandages or anything like that, but getting a damp rag to clean up her face? That much he could do.

She didn’t protest much when he started cleaning up her face, but it occurred to him that he had never seen her without her face paint before. She always wore it, even though it wasn’t really tied to anything significant. She just…wore it to try to keep others away, to look more intimidating. And as he washed that layer away, he noticed that it did make a difference. Her featured softened without the purple adorning her face. Without it, she looked more fragile somehow, or perhaps that was just the miserable look she was giving him.

He set the rag aside when he was done, and reached for the potion. “Fangs was very clear that you were to take this once you woke up. Now, does that sound like someone who would leave you behind?”

“I’m laying here, aren’t I?”

“As oppose to leaving you for dead in the Labyrinth.” He countered quickly, fixing her with an unamused look. “You aren’t useless, and you know that. And you also know that not everyone thinks like R’chibah does; you aren’t worthless to us, and we _want_ you here. I want you here…”

R’ihxa was silent for a moment, a little uncomfortable with the fact that G’raha had figured out her insecurity that easily. No one had ever really called her out on her fear of being left behind…or her fear of being alone. She was sure she had hidden it better, but she did have to concede that perhaps it wasn’t so hard to figure out after that run in with R’chibah…

“…I don’t get you…”

G’raha looked up from the potion bottle he was struggling to uncork, tilting his head slightly in confusion. 

“You’ve seen the disaster that follows my every step…you’ve seen why I have my name, but you still want me around? Just… _why?_ ”

“I thought that would be obvious, I said it that night around the campfire.” He had focused back on the potion, prizing the cork away with a small ‘pop’. When he looked at her again, that mismatched gaze was so sincere, it made her chest ache in a way that had nothing to do with her broken ribs. “I like you; I like being around you. You’re one of my dearest friends…”

Maybe it was a trick of the light, or maybe she had smacked her head into a pillar somewhere in the Labyrinth and was seeing things, but she swore his face was a little red and that his voice carried a hint of wanting to say something more. But he didn’t, and she had no response. Well, not one that she could put eloquently enough to not embarrass herself. There was a lot she wanted to tell him, but she wasn’t sure how. Instead, she wordlessly held out a hand for the potion and drained the bottle without complaint. G’raha smiled, satisfied that she was at least listening to Fangs’ instructions, though it was hard to be stubborn when the injury was so serious.

“You should sleep some more.” He said, taking the empty bottle and rag from her. She was likely exhausted from her earlier outburst, and knowing Fangs, the potion he had left her would have something in it to help her sleep. She didn’t respond, so he stood, cleaning up the remaining supplies. But as he turned to leave the tent, he felt something tug at his tail, and he turned to find that R’ihxa had wrapped her tail around his, and was trying to pull him back.

“R’ihxa…?” He said with a questioning look. Not that he really minded but, it was a little intimate…

“…please don’t go…” Her voice was quiet and uncertain, and he could see how anxious she looked with the way her ears were flat and how she was gripping the blanket. She couldn’t really look him in the eye either. “I want…G’raha I like you too and just…I don’t want to be alone anymore…”

G’raha’s heart skipped a beat, and he hurried back to her side, noting the relief in her gaze. He didn’t want to assume too much but, with the way she spoke, he was hopeful that she…well, he wouldn’t get his hopes too high, not yet. Helping her heal was the main priority, but maybe after she was better, they could…talk about their relationship.

“I’m right here, I won’t leave your side.” He gave her a gentle smile, and reached out to brush her bangs away from her face. “And Fangs will be back before you know it…”

“I don’t know if I can sleep, knowing he’s in there still fighting… Those monsters…G’raha they were like nothing I had seen before, and I deal with primals for a living.”

“That’s…understandable. The one that took you out, Thanatos, he was a figure of Allagan legend…” G’raha mused. It was actually a fascinating discovery, but then he saw the alarm in her gaze and quickly continued. “Not that its nothing Fangs can’t handle! If he can fight gods, he can fight some folklore figures as well…”

R’ihxa still look frustrated, and he understood her plight. He wished he could have gone with them as well, to see the inside of the tower and fight these being he had only ever read about. But perhaps this was fates way of showing him why he needed to stay behind. Seeing her brought back to them on a stretcher had not done his nerves any favors, and he couldn’t stand to imagine being there and actually watching her get hurt so badly.

“If you continue to dwell on it, you won’t feel any better.” He nudged her shoulder gently. “Come now, what can I do to take your mind away from this?”

She looked up at him, and through her exhaustion he could see a faint glimmer of intrigue. “I believe you still owe me a song.”

He smiled, not bringing up the fact that he had promised to sing with her. Honestly, he was more than happy to sing something for her, he really didn’t get to perform that often. “That I did. Any requests?”

“Surprise me…” She mumbled, shifting to get herself more comfortable and wincing at the resulting pain. He nodded, wrapping his tail around her own tighter still. It was the best he could do to comfort her without causing more pain. As for a song…he had a pretty good idea which one he wanted to sing. It had been in his head ever since he heard it earlier in the day.

_“At night, when the lake is a mirror, and the moon rides the waves to the shores; a single soul sets his voice singing, content to be slightly forlorn…”_

Her face lit up as he sang, and she felt her heart swell. His voice was beautiful, and she was pleased to hear his take on the song she had chosen for her warm up. A cute little love ballad…she liked to think there was a significance to his choice, but it was more likely due to the fact that she had sung it herself not too long ago. Still, she let the melody take her, soothed by the sound of his voice. It didn’t take long for her to drift into sleep, and when G’raha finished the song, he gently tucked the blanket around her, quietly wishing her pleasant dreams, before turning his attention towards the research he needed to conduct. For her sake, he would do whatever he could to provide information to the group still in the Labyrinth.

~~  
A healers work was never done.

A fact that was a little infuriating when there was a patient he really needed to check on, but couldn’t because everyone else demanded his attention first. The last stretch of the labyrinth had been eventful, but not disastrous. No one else suffered any major injuries, but he still had to tend to all the bumps and bruises, as well as give his report to several people. Fangs was exhausted, and considered it a mercy when Lorna took over some of his burden. She gently prized the papers from his hands, and waved him towards the research tent.

“I’ll handle the rest of these, you go check on her.”

Fangs blinked in surprise for a moment, but realizing what she was implying, he gave her a grateful smile and thanked her quietly. His worry for R’ihxa was probably more obvious then he intended it to be, but how could he not worry? R’ihxa wasn’t as combat familiar as he was, and she had never sustained such a serious injury before. He hurried to the tent they were keeping her, and paused when he ducked inside.

G’raha was still with her, sitting on the floor next to her cot with a small pile of books stacked next to him, engrossed with the tome in his lap. Behind him, R’ihxa was sleeping soundly. He was relieved to see that she didn’t look the worse for wear, though he noticed both her missing face paint, and the fact that her and G’raha’s tails were intertwined. Ah, so that was why he hadn’t spotted the scholar out among the parties waiting to interrogate him. G’raha’s ears twitched as he stepped further into the tent, and when he saw it was Fangs, his gaze filled with relief.

“You’ve returned safely…I’m glad. I was beginning to worry…”

“Believe it or not, I have encountered worse…” Fangs said quietly, coming to kneel at the side of the cot. No doubt G’raha was dying to know the details, but he had his priorities. “How is she?”

“In more pain then she lets on, I think, but she’s been resting.” He replied, closing the book and placing it on the pile. Fangs listened as G’raha explained how she fared once she woke up. And while G’raha didn’t go into a lot of specifics, Fangs knew her well enough to know that her being upset was an understatement. If her confidence had been low before…

“Thank you for staying at her side…” Fangs said quietly, pulling his staff out to cast another spell on her. His mana was all but spent, but for her, he could manage one more. And as the spell took effect, her face seemed to relax a little more in her sleep. “I was worried about her being alone but…I see she was in good hands.”

“Of course!” G’raha seemed to puff up slightly, and when his gaze fell toward her sleeping form, Fangs noted the fondness that filled it. How they hadn’t gotten together yet was a mystery to him, he had never seen two people more interested in each other. “She doesn’t deserve to suffer alone anymore…”

His gaze shifted from R’ihxa to Fangs, and he looked uncertain about something, but he remained silent. Fangs continued his assessment of R’ihxa, concluding that the potions and spells were working, but that she would still need time to fully recover.

“When she wakes, I’ll have her moved to the Rising Stones.” Fangs ran a hand through R’ihxa’s hair, and she shifted slightly, but didn’t stir. “She’ll be able to rest more comfortably there…”

“That’s probably for the best…” G’raha agreed, still looking hesitant about something. “We’ll have a lot of work to do here now that we’ve managed to get inside part of the tower…”

Which meant he wouldn’t be able to give her the care she needed in order to recover. And a cramped campsite tent was not the best place for her to heal. G’raha knew this, but he still wasn’t pleased that she would have to leave. And he knew that she wouldn’t be able to visit since she would be on bedrest for a while. And he had research to do…yet…

“Will I be allowed to see her?”

Fangs blinked, the question surprising him. Did he think the Scions would deny him so easily? Ah well, Tataru might if she didn’t know…

“Of course, I daresay she’ll be asking for you before long.” He smiled, and indicated their intertwined tails. “She enjoys your company quite a bit, and I know you’ll take good care of her. You needn't ask to see her…”

It was G’raha’s turn to blink, before his eyes widened in recognition. Maybe it was foolish of him to think that he really had to ask for any sort of blessing from Fangs, but it only felt right. The two were family, and it felt like he had to ask. At least, that’s what happened in the stories he read. But Fangs already approved, so really, he just needed to make his wishes known to R’ihxa. At least he had a little time to think on how to do that…maybe Fangs could help him with that. 

_After_ he got some rest of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I want to give a huge shout out to my FC for letting me borrow some of their characters for this. I didn't get overly descriptive with them and for that I'm sorry but I still had fun including them in the work.  
> Also say hi to Lorna, my other sweet girl that I poured lots of love into.
> 
> And yes I did use Over the Garden Wall. Its a good song that gives me the warm fuzzies.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was feeling emotional about R'ihxa's childhood and I actually went and developed her family a little more. So have some soft moments between R'ihxa and her papa! (And if you guys like these, I have a few more in mind if you're interested)

R'suya was grateful that R’ihxa was not very difficult to find.

Though she was his adopted daughter, he sadly never really did spend an awful lot of time with her. Both because his duties as Nunh kept him very busy, but also because she had the tendency to hide herself away most of the time. Not that he really blamed her, gods knew he tried everything in his power to get his children to get along, but they seemed fixated on tormenting her, all because they weren’t related by blood. And she only retreated further into herself as a result, spending more time alone with books or plants then with children her own age. And while he understood her reasons, he still wanted to make sure she felt welcome in the tribe. To remind her that she was loved, and not just by her mother. He raised her since she was a baby, she had to know how much he cared. How much he regretted the events that put her into this situation. The death had been an accident after all, R’suya had never intended to kill her biological father…

He found her perched on a large stone near the river, clutching a book to her chest while she gazed heavenward. Even at seven summers, she was still so small, R’suya was starting to think she would be a late bloomer. It likely didn’t help her feel any more confident, seeing her step siblings get growth spurts all around her. She turned at the sounds of his footsteps, and her ears dipped a little in anxiousness. But he smiled at her warmly, and hopped up next to her on the stone.

“Little far away from the village, eh?”

“I’m still within the sight of the gate…” But her tone betrayed that even she didn’t really buy it. She technically was right, but just barely. Not that he was actually upset about it, she really didn’t stay too far away. “Did you come to bring me back…?”

“That depends, what are you doing out here?”

R’ihxa glanced down at the book she was holding, before carefully opening the pages and showing him an image of a falling star. It was hard to read the text in the fading light, but he could make out some lines about star showers and the best times of year to see them.

“You want to see the star shower?”

She nodded, gaze turning back towards the sky. “You can’t really see the sky from the village. The trees are too thick. But here, you kind of can see…”

“Aaah, you’re right. You can’t really see anything through those branches, huh?” He tilted his head at her, smiling gently at her again. “Do you mind if I join you then? I’d like to see the stars myself.”

Her gaze brightened a little, and she nodded. A comfortable silence overcame them as they waited for the sky to darken and the stars to fully appear. The only sounds that came to them were ones of the woods; the gentle chirping of crickets or hoot of an owl. The rivers quiet trickle and the occasional frog song. R’suya could see in his peripheral how R’ihxa’s ears would twitch at every sound, with her occasionally jumping and looking off into the darkness when something would snap a branch. She had good instincts; she’d probably be a great hunter…

Unfortunately, along with the silence, a chill also descended. And R’ihxa hadn’t fully prepared for a night of stargazing. He noticed how she was starting to shiver.

“Come here…” He extended his arm, and she didn’t protest when he wrapped it around her and gently pulled her into his lap. In fact, she curled into his chest as much as she could. Next time, he’d have to bring a blanket. She seemed content though, settling in as he hugged her tight, both of their gazes returning to the stars.

“Is there something you want to wish for on these falling stars?”

He felt her squirm, and looked down to find her frowning at him.

“I can’t tell you that! It won’t come true!”

“Of course, of course, how could I forget?” He chuckled, and her frown faded, just a little. “Forget I asked~ I wouldn’t want you to risk your wish.”

R’ihxa seemed content to keep it a secret, as her gaze moved back to the stars. They were starting to shine in earnest now, and he could see her trying to find the constellations. He tapped her shoulder gently, and pointed out the nearest one to them. It was these moments he lived for, really, seeing R’ihxa’s face light up with joy, seeing her passions and curiosities come forth. It was why he tried to spend more time with her, the only way he could see this side of her was if they were together. She never showed this when the other children were about.

It was especially worth sitting out there to see her face when the stars did start to fall. She gasped softly, eyes widening as the sky lit up with the celestial display. R’suya was also awestruck, transfixed at the show. Sometimes he really did forget how gorgeous the world could be, if he only took the time to stop and really observe it. 

When he looked at R’ihxa again, her eyes were closed, face scrunched up in concentration for a moment or two, before she peeked an eye open to catch the last of the stars. 

“Make your wish?” He asked. 

She nodded, looking very pleased with herself. He had a few hunches on what she might have wished for, but he wouldn’t pry. He knew the rules, a wish didn’t come true if anyone else actually knew what it was. 

“Ready to head home?”

She nodded again, this time with a yawn. He chuckled and slid himself off the rock, still carrying her in his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder with another yawn, this one bigger than the las. He chuckled and kissed the top of her head, which earned a sleepy nuzzle. By the time they returned to the village, R’ihxa had already fallen asleep. R’suya tucked her in, replacing the book in her arms with her favorite stuffed toy before kissing her head again and leaving her to sleep.

If her wish had anything to do with feeling at home within the tribe, he was determined to make it a wish that would come true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for your patience! I am still working on these they're just taking longer because things have been very hectic lately. But I hope you enjoy this! And I'll have something out sooner I promise ldksjgsd


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally do the thing guys. Also yeah I'm way too early for halloween themed stuff but shhh its when her nameday is.

He had to tell her.

G’raha knew that it was the better idea to wait until R’ihxa had fully healed before making any kind of move, but the anticipation was really starting to get to him. He wanted to lay it all bare, wanted to see if maybe…maybe she was interested. If she wanted something more…

He wasn’t exactly being subtle about it either. He visited her at the Rising Stones often, almost daily if he could manage it. He saw the looks the other Scions would give him, those knowing little smirks. He always felt sheepish, but it was worth it when he entered her room to see her.

The Scions had cared for her well, giving her a nice comfortable bed near a window so she could get some sun and fresh air. And it was that attention to detail that made the difference for her, she seemed less miserable then she had been back in the tent. Sometimes she’d be sleeping when he arrived, and other times she’d be awake, staring out the window or reading one of the tomes he lent her. Since there was little else she could do, she insisted on studying the Allagans as well, and that was something he was delighted to share with her. Today was the latter of the two; when he opened the door, she was sitting up, book in her lap while her face was tilted towards the window, enjoying the sunlight that was filtering in. He couldn’t help but notice how her hair was cast a shade or so lighter, or notice how she still hadn’t painted her face, and just how content she seemed in that moment, basking in the sunlight while no one was watching. It was as if Grimm was nowhere to be found and she was safe enough to just be R’ihxa…

Her ears twitched at his footsteps, and when she turned toward him, her face lit up. His heart skipped a beat.

“G’raha!” Though she wasn’t wincing when she moved, there was still a stiffness to her movements as she sat up straighter, but that didn’t take away the smile on her face. He returned the smile warmly, taking a seat next to her.

“You look cheerful, I take it you’re feeling better?”

“Much! Fangs says my ribs are fully healed.” She puffed up her chest a little to prove it, and G’raha pretended to not notice the slight cough she gave while doing so. “I might actually get to celebrate my nameday…”

“That’s right, that is coming up isn’t it?” He knew it was, he had the date memorized. 16th Sun of the 5th Umbral Moon, that was only a few days away, and he had been working on her nameday gift for a few weeks now. If Fangs had it ready by that day, G’raha had the perfect plan to make her nameday the best one she ever had.

“Mhmm, just in time for the All Saints' Wake celebrations.” She had marked her page in her book and set it aside, bringing her knees closer to her chest so she could rest her arms and chin on them. She was smiling softly, and G’raha’s heart did another summersault. “Its my favorite time of year, if I’m being honest. The stories, the songs, all the costumes and decorations? Makes me feel like a kit again.”

“Yeah, me too…” G’raha couldn’t help but smiling back at her, even if in truth, he never had a lot of fun at All Saint’s Wake. The other kids of his tribe had a tendency to try to prank him and then blame it on the spirits that were supposedly lurking about. As if he were foolish enough to think spirits would target him every bloody year. He would agree with her that the stories were good, though. “Do you have a favorite tale?”

Her grin became mischievous at the question, tail swishing playfully behind her. “I do, but if I tell you, that’ll ruin the surprise of my costume.”

“So, you’re dressing up for the festivals?”

“It’s the one time of the year I can really indulge my aesthetics and not get funny looks for it.” 

He inclined his head, conceding the point, before fixing her with his signature pout. He had noticed recently that pouting at her was a very efficient way to get her to do things he wanted, though he only really used it to get her to take her medicine. Still, it was a good thing to keep in mind, and he had good intentions of using it on her now; another piece to his grand puzzle of how to potentially court her.

“Aw, can’t I have a small hint?” He went all out for this one, ears drooping and all. “I won’t tell anyone else if I figure it out!”

She giggled at his antics, lifting her head back with a dramatic sigh. “Oh, I _suppose_ I can help you narrow it down. You still have to figure out which story it’s from though.”

“I enjoy a challenge!”

“My favorite tale is one from the Shroud, and as an extra hint, it's not the one with Odin.” She fixed him with a look that was partly amused, and partly intrigued. “Show me how good of a researcher you are, G’raha~”

“Careful with that challenge, I think you’ll find that I won’t disappoint.”  
~~

She had to tell him.

R’ihxa had way too much time to consider things while being bedridden, and though all her overthinking and fretting, she had come to the conclusion that she needed to tell G’raha how she felt. For the longest time, she had only really felt truly comfortable around Fangs. Even with her fellow Scions, she still had a few walls up, walls that were very gradually coming down, but G’raha had somehow managed to break through them all faster than most. He was a comforting presence, and what was more, she found herself wishing she could be with him more. Her heart filled with so much joy when he would visit her and spend as much time as he could by her side. And she craved more of it when he was away.

It was a little terrifying for her, but also exhilarating. And she was almost sure he felt the same way in return. Why else would he visit her almost daily if he didn’t? Unless he really was just that loyal of a friend, which she truly appreciated, even if it would sting a little to find out she had assumed wrong.

With the all clear from both Fangs and Papalymo, she was finally allowed to leave the Rising Stones and resume her usual activities; with some limitations. She wasn’t allowed to go on extensive gathering trips and she was forbidden to go after hunt marks until she was completely recovered. But letting her get out of Revenant's Toll by having her run small errands in the other city states was deemed harmless. And Fangs had reassured her that she would be allowed to attend as many festivities for All Saints’ Wake as she pleased.  
A good thing really, she did not intend to waste her nameday lying in bed.

The holiday celebrations tended to last quite a while, since every city-state threw their own festival and they left them open long enough for everyone to travel far and wide to see them all. It was one of her favorite privileges as a Scion; she got to go everywhere.

Which is how she found herself in Limsa during the first week of the All Saints’ Wake celebrations, on her nameday no less. Several reports were due to the Malestrom about beast tribe activity and the potential for a primal summons, and R’ihxa had happily volunteered to go. Limsa’s festivities were always some of the wildest, especially when they paired fireworks with the cannons on the ships and everyone sang eerie sea shanties into the night. Fangs had always boasted about how great a party the Malestrom could throw, and she was pleased that she might get to see it this year. She was already dressed in her costume (save the headpiece, she would put that on later) and there was nothing that could ruin the night for her.

Almost.

It was as she was leaving the Malestrom headquarters that she saw him, a disturbingly familiar tuft of dark chestnut hair. The panic that shot through her heart made her chest hurt. No, it…it couldn’t be. What reason did R’chibah have to come to Limsa? Had he known she would be there? She wasn’t prepared for any kind of confrontation; she didn’t even think to bring her darts. And she didn’t have as much sway here as she did in Gridania either, so a lie like G’raha’s wouldn’t work to save her skin.

She slowly backed away, fishing out her headpiece to put on while she hid herself away onto one of the aftcastles many side balconies. Hopefully he wouldn’t recognize her if she was fully in costume, antlers and all, or maybe he would, and he’d comment that the Beast was a perfect costume for her to don. The Grimm Beast of the Shroud…she could almost hear him saying it.

Hidden away, she tried to ease her breathing, feeling the dull ache of her ribs protesting the sudden adrenaline rush. It was okay, she didn’t need to panic. He hadn’t spotted her. She hadn’t been followed. She was fine. She was fine. She was—

“You really know how to go all out on a costume!”

The voice made her jump, and she turned to see G’raha jogging towards her. The sight of him filled her with relief, and she straightened up, hoping that she didn’t look as panicked as she felt. She wanted today to be nice for a change…

“I told you, this is the time of year when I can indulge.” She smiled at him, spreading her arms wide to show off her costume. A simple little black cloak, but in the right light it would make her appear as if she were wrapped in ash and smoke. And of course, there were the stag antlers, along with a few minor changes to her usual face paint pattern. “So, have you figured out what my favorite story is?”

“Why don’t you tell me?” G’raha said, spreading his own arms to display his costume. He had the look of a wandering traveler, but what drew her attention was the lantern he had attached to his belt. Her face broke into a wide grin, and if her chest hadn’t been hurting, she would have thrown herself into his arms to embrace him.

“You’re bearing the Dark Lantern~” She sang, giddy at the fact that he was dressed to pair with her outfit. “You’re aware that the Beast is out there!”

“And I better not believe her lies~” G’raha sang back, before letting his arms fall with a chuckle. “I see why that tale is your favorite for this season. It’s a very good story, and perfectly unnerving enough to make me question if traveling through the Shroud at night is wise…”

R’ihxa giggled, pleased that he understood why she enjoyed it. Her giggles ended with coughing though, the dull ache in her chest not going away as quickly as she hoped it would. Relieved as she was that G’raha was with her, knowing that R’chibah was still somewhere in Limsa was making her nervous…

G’raha’s smile faded at her coughing, and he placed a hand on her shoulder, looking at her in concern. He didn’t really need to voice it; she could tell he was worried if she was okay. She took a shaky breath, which did little to stop the ache, but it helped the coughing at least.

“I’m…I’m fine. My chest just hurts a little…” 

“Did something happen to aggravate your injury?”

She hesitated, because while she didn’t want anything to ruin her plans, she also knew she would spend the rest of her night looking over her shoulder. And she knew G’raha, he would worry about her all night if she didn’t say anything and if she continued to look tense. She sighed softly, and motioned for him to follow her, and while they walked together, she explained what she saw. How she wasn’t sure if it actually was R’chibah, but how it spooked her enough to agitate her ribs. G’raha frowned as she spoke, he really didn’t like hearing that R’chibah was nearby. He wanted her to be happy, especially later when he gave her the gift he had planned for her. But her comfort was far more important than any plans he made…

“Do you wish to go somewhere else?” He asked as they crossed the planking towards the Missing Member. R’ihxa shook her head.

“Not really, I wanted to stay for the festival. Limsa’s big enough where I shouldn’t run into him but…”

“Shouldn’t run into who?”

Fangs’ voice rang out behind them, making them both jump, and they turned to find him standing not too far away from them, blinking curiously. G’raha noted that he was also wearing a Malestrom uniform. Thinking back, he recalled that Fangs had mentioned belonging to the company while they had been sharing stories around the fire. How an Ul’dan Miqo’te ended up serving the Malestrom was a mystery he hadn’t figured out yet…

“Is something the matter?” Fangs asked again, looking between the two. G’raha paused, but it was R’ihxa who spoke, her shoulders slumping as a realization hit her.

“You know, if I had known you’d be working today, I would have just given you the report.” 

“They needed a few extra hands on deck for tonight’s festivities.” Fangs said with a chuckle, before giving her an amused look. “And, you haven’t answered my question yet. I know you’re stalling, R’ihxa.”

She sighed, and quietly explained her situation to him. All the amusement left his face as he heard her plight, and when she finished, he nodded in understanding. He fished some gil out of his pocket and pressed it into her hands, ignoring her confused noises of protest.

“I want you to use this to get a potion. That should be all you need to ease the pain.” He said, directing her toward the nearest shop that could sell her one. “Do it now, it’ll last you the rest of the night.”

R’ihxa nodded, still a little taken aback by the sudden shift, but she did as he said. And it was while she wandered toward the shop that G’raha saw Fangs lean over to the nearest Malestrom guard to whisper something in their ear. They nodded in understanding, and Fangs looked satisfied as he turned to face G’raha again.

“You’re handling this a lot more…calmly then I anticipated.” G’raha observed, raising a brow at him. “I would have thought you’d be tearing the city apart by now.”

“I am still on shift, G’raha, I cannot abandon my duties so easily.” But there was a smug smile on his face. “But that does not mean I don’t have my ways to protect her. And my fellow Malestrom understand that sometimes, tribal matters needs be settled.”

G’raha’s eyes widened when he realized what Fangs just did. Putting out the word that R’chibah was in the city and might start trouble...all to keep R’ihxa safe. The use of power in such a way was both touching, and just a little terrifying. Fangs patted his shoulder, inclining his head toward where R’ihxa had gone.

“I still have a few more hours before I’m off, but don’t worry too much about R’chibah just yet. For now, make sure her nameday is happy…”

“That, I am glad to do…”  
~~

With how crowded Limsa tended to be, he really didn’t expect to run into her there. He half assumed she would stick closer to home for All Saints’ Wake, since Gridania tended to throw the bigger festivals. He usually tended to stay nearer to home as well, but if he wanted to try and rebuild his tribe, he realized he was going to have to expand his search. Most in the Shroud knew him, and most had made their stance clear about if they wanted to join or not. He needed a fresh start.

So, seeing R’ihxa standing near the bar in the Drowning Wench really rubbed R’chibah the wrong way. It was like he couldn’t escape her! Grimm always had to ruin his plans, spreading her lies in her wake. Because for some reason people always seemed to take her side, he never really had the chance to explain himself…

Even through her costume (The Beast as well…it really was too appropriate for her), he knew it was her. He recognized her voice and demeanor, and she always seemed to hang around the strange sort anyway. She was talking to an Au Ra with an…interesting costume. If he wanted to be generous and even call it a costume. A black and red bikini with a spriggans hat didn’t really seem like much of a costume, and R’ihxa seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“Tem…aren’t you cold in that?”

“Nah, its fine. I’m perfectly comfortable~” 

“We’re by the sea? And its nearly winter?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

He saw her shoulders slump in defeat. Aside from her scantily clad friend, she seemed to be alone this time. Perhaps this time he could talk to her and actually finish what they started, without interference from anyone else. He wasn’t quite sure he wanted to risk being poisoned, but she didn’t seem aware enough do to it last time…and besides, he wouldn’t have actually killed her! She overreacted! Or that other Tia did rather…

Temulun chose that moment to look up from her drink, and her gaze met R’chibah’s. She noted the way he was glaring daggers at R’ihxa, who was mercifully too busy with her own drink to notice. Come to think of it, she recalled hearing something before getting off shift about a Miqo’te to keep an eye out for…

R’chibah stiffened as he saw Temulun lean over the bar and whisper something to the bartender. He had a bad feeling about that. Deciding it would be best to wait outside, he discreetly exited, weaving his way through the growing crowds. Maybe he could still find R’ihxa later and chat with her…when she wasn’t surrounded by people.

A hand clasped his shoulder, making him jump. A Malestrom officer had approached him, a Miqo’te no less, and R’chihah had the sinking feeling of familiarity. Where had he seen this guy before?

“Is there something amiss, officer?”

“Nothing at the moment, I was just hoping you’d be willing to chat with me about a rather disturbing rumor I overheard…”

“Ah…” The hand on his shoulder was tight as he was steered through the crowds towards a less crowded area of the decks. R’chibah noted that none of the other Malestrom guards they passed really paid them any mind, and the familiarity of this Miqo’te was really starting to bother him. “And what rumor was that?”

“We’ve received word that one of our guests might be in danger of being attacked tonight. And now, we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Someone came up on R’chibah’s other side, and when he looked over, his heart sank. He recognized the red hair and the mismatched eyes of the other Miqo’te that had appeared, he was the one in Gridania! And it was with a further sinking feeling that he recognized where he had seen the Malestrom officer from. They were R’ihxa’s companions, he had seen them hanging around with her.

Oh dear…

“Where…where did you hear this rumor?”

“Another one of our officers.” There was a very unsettling smile on the officer’s face. “But worry not, we just want to talk.”  
~~

Fortunately for R’ihxa, Fangs earlier advice had worked. The potion had taken away the worst of the pain, and getting to spend time with Temulun had distracted her enough from the possibility that R’chibah might be in the city. Her nameday was actually beginning to shape up to be something fun! But she did notice that G’raha had vanished at some point, and she was growing worried where he might have gone. He was with her right up until they met up with Temulin, but then after that, she lost track of him. She wanted to see the fireworks with him, and spend the rest of the night with him if she could…

Which was why she was picking her way through the crowds at the aftcastle, occasionally standing on her toes to try and see above the sea of people. He couldn’t have wandered far, right?

“It seems the Beast is a little out of her element?” G’raha’s voice rang out from behind her, and a hand found her own. She turned to him with a relieved smile, and she squeezed his hand.

“Because my Lantern Bearer wandered too far away~” She giggled, before her smile faded. “Wait, what in the hells happened!?”

G’raha was grinning sheepishly at her, face covered in recently healed cuts and bruises. It was painfully clear that he had just gotten out of a fight. Is that what he had been doing the entire time?

“Just…helping Fangs settle something. You really have nothing to be worried about!”

“You cannot tell me that and expect me to not worry!” She released his hand so she could use both of her own to cup his face, gently tugging him forward to she could examine the damage herself. She frowned, more due to the fact that he had been fighting in the first place then the severity of his injuries. There wasn’t much she could actually do to tend his wounds. Especially if he had been with Fangs the entire time. She sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”

G’raha smiled a little, and brought his hands up to cover hers, pulling them away from his face but still holding them close. “Truly, you have nothing to worry about. We just wanted to be sure you were safe, and you are now.”

R’ihxa blinked for a moment, lost for what kind of danger she would have been in, before her eyes widened in realization. R’chibah! She almost couldn’t believe it, had they really gone out of their way to track him down? To make clear to him that he was to leave her alone, regardless of wherever they might bump into each other?

“G’raha…” She was speechless. He squeezed her hands tighter.

“I wanted to make sure your nameday was a good one.” He was smiling at her so sincerely that it made her heart flutter. And then his gaze lit up with excitement. “Speaking of, follow me.”

Still holding her hand, G’raha led her through the crowds gathering at the best spots to view the fireworks. With some careful maneuvering and weaving, he was able to lead her to a lower part of the decks to a spot that was almost deserted. A secret little area that it seemed not too many knew of, and one that provided the best view of the bay. She gasped once she saw it, letting go of his hand to rush forward and take in the view.

“Where in the world did you…?”

“Fangs knows this city like the back of his hand, and he wanted you to have the best seats for the fireworks. Says its part of his gift to you.”

“Well, I’ll have to thank him next time I see him.” For several things, but it wasn’t really a surprise. Fangs had been watching out for her for years now. When she looked back at him, she noticed he was holding a small box in his hands, and he was looking sheepish again.

“Happy Nameday, R’ihxa.” He said softly, holding out the box toward her. She smiled, taking the box from him and gently prizing it open to see what he had gotten her. She wasn’t expecting much, she was a little surprised he had even gone to so much trouble to get a gift in the first place. But when she saw what was inside, her heart skipped a beat. A silver necklace in the shape of a star, set with amethyst. She lifted it out of the box slowly, transfixed with how the stone sparkled in the light.

“G’raha…its beautiful.” She looked from the necklace to him, gaze filled with disbelief. How could he have afforded this? The materials alone would have cost a fortune, let alone getting someone to craft it. He didn’t have to do this, and yet… “Thank you. I love it.”

He was beaming, tail swishing behind him in a way that very clearly betrayed how pleased he was that she loved the gift. It really was worth everything he went through, which was just the pain of finding the perfect gemstone. Fangs had gladly handled the rest, and the payoff of seeing her face light up was all he wanted and more. 

“May I?” He asked, holding his hand out. She nodded enthusiastically, placing the necklace into his hand and tilting her head up a little so he could easily fasten it around her neck. When he stepped back, he had to admire how perfect of a fit it was. Amethyst really was the best stone he could have picked, just for the way it complimented her eyes. And with that gaze filled with so much joy and admiration, he knew he had to do it now, speak his feelings before the moment was lost. “R’ihxa, there’s one other thing…”

Her gaze grew curious as she waited for him to continue, and he found himself growing flustered. It was difficult to find the words, not exactly a great thing for him considering he was a bard. “I just…I was wondering—er hoping rather that you might…I mean I just…I enjoy your company quite a bit and thought maybe…you might consider—”

There was a loud boom, and the sky lit up in red followed closely by a chorus of cheering. Both of them jumped, looking out over the bay where the fireworks had begun. R’ihxa looked back at G’raha, and found him looking very flustered and disheartened. He was still struggling to find the words, though it was hard to hear him over the crowd and the fireworks, and his shoulders fell a moment later. She had a fairly good idea what he was trying to ask…and even if she was wrong, she didn’t think there was much use beating around the bush any longer. It was worth the risk.

She beckoned him to come closer, and when he leaned in, she kissed him. It wasn’t a terribly long kiss, but it was enough for her to get her point across. And it was worth seeing the way his eyes widened when she pulled away, of seeing the shock and then the dawning realization, before seeing the pure joy fill his gaze. He was grinning widely now too, and while they couldn’t hear each other over the booms and crashes, they didn’t really need to say anything more. 

R’ihxa spent the remainder of her nameday nestled close to G’raha, holding his hand and wrapping her tail around his, watching the sky fill with brilliant colors. She was content, giddy even, and she could tell by the big goofy smile on his face that G’raha felt the same. And it really was the best gift that she never would have expected to get.  
The gift of love, and of knowing she was worthy of that love. She couldn’t have asked for anything more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I'm gonna thank my friends for letting me borrow their characters. Tem is a delight to write! And now I get to write a lot more shameless fluff (before I steamroll into angst but we're not going to talk about that yet. No sads only fluff)
> 
> Also yeah, I used Over the Garden Wall again. Sue me, its R'ihxa's aesthetic


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been having a bad time so I wrote some self indulgent cuddles. Sorry that this is the best I can put out but I've been dealing with a lot of things behind the scenes. I still hope you guys enjoy this one though!

It was always a unique experience when the aether storms mixed with thunder storms. The haze that hung in the air so thick it blurred even the Crystal Tower always seemed to make the rumbles from the distance more eerie. The researchers never dared to attempt field work during these storms, the risk factor was simply too high, and days like that were spent within the tents instead. The storm may have impeded their work on the tower itself, but there was always research to be done.

G’raha squinted in the dim light, adjusting the lantern to better illuminate the page before him. It was an unfortunate thing about Seekers, they really couldn’t see in the dark very well. But with enough adjusting, he was able to resume reading the passage without much issue. Though, despite the subject matter being important, since the tower was built by royalty and such, the scholar found he couldn’t really focus. He glanced to his side to see if his companion was fairing any better, and found that R’ihxa had dozed off, head resting on her arm. He wasn’t all too surprised, given that she had volunteered to help him research after completing a complex series of quests for the Scions. She was likely exhausted, and he was touched that she still came to assist him however she could. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve her…

The moment was ruined by a searing pain in his eye, right at the same time that the thunder crashed so loud, it woke R’ihxa with a startled yelp. She looked around wildly for a moment, before her gaze found him with his hand pressed against his eye. Upon seeing that, fear shifted to concern, and she pushed herself up fully and scooted over to him despite his protests.

“It’s nothing…! Go back to sleep.”

“I’m awake now…” She mumbled, gesturing for him to move his hand away. “Let me see.”

He hesitated, but relented, letting her brush his hair aside to reveal his red eye. He knew there wouldn’t be anything noticeable, but all the same, it was nice that she cared enough to check. He waited quietly, watching her as she examined him with a critical eye, looking for what the source of his pain might be. R’ihxa wasn’t a white mage, but she knew more than most gave her credit for. She couldn’t simply make medicine without knowing the ins and outs of how a body actually functioned and healed. But after a quiet moment of examination, she sighed.

“I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.” She said with a frown. “But these bursts of pain are becoming more frequent…”

“Ah…you noticed.” G’raha mumbled sheepishly, leaning into her hand a little. She gave him a slightly amused look, rubbing her thumb across his cheek gently.

“You’re not the only observer here, you know.” She said. “I’ve seen you wince more and more the longer you’re here. My only guess is maybe you have an aetheric sensitivity?”  
“It’s possible, given the conditions around the tower…” G’raha had considered it, but there was a nagging part of his mind that told him it wasn’t so simple. It had never really bothered him before now, even in really bad storms like the one that raged above them. He brought his hand up to cover her own, pulling it away from his face, but intertwining their fingers. “But worry not, the pain is gone now.”

R’ihxa still looked worried, and she opened her mouth to say more, but as she did so thunder crashed overhead again, making her flinch. G’raha watched with concern as she glanced skyward in worry.

“Seems I’m not the only one this storm is bothering…” He squeezed her hand in gentle reassurance, and she looked back at him nervously.

“I’m not bothered by it…”

“R’ihxa, your fur is still standing on end.”

She quickly tucked her tail behind her, but it didn’t stop him from seeing how puffy it still looked. Her ears flattened a little, and she looked away from him in shame. G’raha tilted his head a little to be in her line of vision, smiling softly at her.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of…”

“It’s a little childish,” She said, frowning at him. “to be afraid of such a storm. I’ve tried to get past it but—”

Thunder crashed overhead again, making her flinch. It was the best way to illustrate that she hadn’t got past the fear the storms seemed to bring her. In that moment, she looked so exhausted, resigned to the idea that sleep would not come to her that night. He wondered how many nights she lay cowering under a blanket, waiting for the storm to pass overhead. He wished he could do more to comfort her, but he wasn’t gifted with the ability to change the weather.

“Have you always feared storms such as this?”

“Since I was small. I tended to hear a lot of stories about the primal Ramuh and how he would strike anyone who crossed the Sylphs.” She shrugged, tugging the book she had abandoned back onto her lap. “I can’t say actually dealing with the Sylphs or fighting the primal itself has helped the fear any.”

“I can’t imagine it would…” G’raha knew about Ramuh in passing, at least enough to know that of the primal the Scions usually dealt with, he was not a priority. At the very least, he was not summoned nearly as often as Titan or Ifrit. He watched her for a moment as she squinted at the page, clearly too tired to really focus on what it was saying. “I wish I could do more to comfort you.”

Her ear flicked, and she looked up at him again, this time with a very small smile. “…just being with you is comfort enough.”

He hoped the light was dim enough so that she couldn’t see his face flush, but he wordlessly held his arms open for her, thinking of no better way to illustrate his desire to keep her close. She tossed the book aside, and slid into his embrace, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. And while it was hard for him to hear it over the rain now falling against the tent, he was pretty sure he could hear her purring. It was a sound he very rarely heard from her, though he noted she was starting to do it more and more around him. He answered with his own purr, pressing a kiss to the top of her head when she twitched at the thunder again. Because really, all he wanted was for her to feel safe.

They stayed like that for a while, waiting out the worst of the storm, before G’raha tugged over pillows and a blanket from the nearest cot. It simply was not their night for research, and they curled up under the blanket together, listening to the gentle patter of rain and the now distant sounds of the thunder. R’ihxa was asleep within minutes, curled into G’raha’s chest and looking more relaxed then she had been earlier. G’raha was content, the rumble in his chest continuing as fingers lightly traced her spine.

The research would still be there in the morning, and a night off was well deserved for them both.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rolls in six months late with doughnuts.
> 
> 2020 has been a hell of a year and I'm honestly just pleased I managed to finish this. It didn't help that both 5.3 and 5.4 made me have to go back and retcon stuff I had planned for G'raha. But I also will not complain about more good G'raha content.
> 
> Enjoy the goobers!

The anxious flutters began when she felt that familiar instinctual pull, one that she loathed every time it reared its head from the depths. And she knew she was not the only one suffering, she could see it in all her fellow Miqo’te; everyone was on edge and many were asking for extended assignments that would take them away from the Scion headquarters for a few days. Even Fangs had already managed to secure himself a mission that took him to Camp Dragonhead. Something about Haurchefant _absolutely needing_ his help with something, as if she didn’t know the actual motive behind it. The bastards.

R’ihxa’s bitterness was reflexive, she was always used to spending these times alone. Tucked away in her corner working on her potions while she tried to ignore the burning desire that plagued her for a few days. She wasn’t a prude or anything of the sort, she knew exactly how to take care of her own needs, or seek out someone willing to assist her. But having the confidence to do so without the fear of letting a stranger that close was a different matter entirely, and it usually resulted in her waiting to the point of desperation before she actually did anything to alleviate it. She was truly fortunate to have the Scions…Y’shtola was very understanding of her anxiety and helped shoo other males away from her. And Thancred was always willing to help (an offer she had taken him up on, more times then she really cared to count) but his missions often had him away from the Rising Stones for extended periods. Finding a solution this time would be difficult…in a way.

She frowned at her notes, tail swishing with her agitation as she compared her own writing to what was on the page. Reverse engineering old potions wasn’t the hardest thing in the world for her, but the Allagans were certainly giving her a challenge with what information they had left behind. R’ihxa knew she could do it, she had done it with old Gelmorran recipes, though she would admit that those were easier since she had the physical potions to work with. Trying to come up with solutions based only on writings was another matter entirely. Not impossible, but certainly annoying.

So absorbed in her work, she didn’t hear him come up behind her, and it was only when he placed a hand on her shoulder that she realized he was there. Startled, she tilted her head up just in time for him to lean down to press a kiss to her forehead. 

“G’raha?” Surprise was evident in her voice, but the excited swishing of her tail betrayed how pleased she was at the sudden development. And with the way he was smiling at her, he was happy to be there as well. “I thought you had to stay behind for research, did something happen?”

“Ah…” There was hesitation in his voice as he pulled up a stool to sit beside her, but once he was settled in, he gave her a reassuring smile. “No, nothing of the sort. I simply convinced Rammbroes to let me go for a little while. We all need breaks after all…”

She stared at him in disbelief, and he squirmed a little under her gaze. She knew him well, and knew that most of the time he wouldn’t take a break unless he was physically dragged away from his research. To take a break willingly almost sounded like a lie…and the way he adverted his gaze told her as much.

“And…I wanted to be in your company for a while.” He mumbled quietly, cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment. At that, her gaze softened, and she wrapped her tail around his as she turned back to her notes.

“And that, I’m glad to have.” She said with a small smile. “Gods know the Allagans are giving me a run for my gil here, so I welcome the support.”

“Oh, what are you working on?” G’raha’s voice carried obvious interest, as he leaned closer to examine her work. And while he would never admit it, he was relieved that he didn’t have to confess the actual reason he had arrived. That Rammbroes had kicked him out because he was so distracted gazing longingly toward the Rising Stones, where he knew R’ihxa was. He didn’t think this cycle would be so troublesome.

“I’m trying to recreate some of these elixirs.” She turned her gaze back to the tome, tapping her notes with the end of her pencil. “I’ve done it before, even with extinct plants being the main base, but I must admit, I’ve never dealt with something so complex.”

“Is that so?” G’raha asked, tugging a recipe forward. The Allagans were highly advanced in many fields, that was part of what made them so fascinating, and so frustrating, because for all the technology they left behind, they didn’t really leave any indication of what it was for, or how it was to be used. Some of it, like the Crystal Tower had extensive documentation, while other things were severely lacking. His brow furrowed as he read. “I’ve…never heard of some of these, by now they’re likely extinct, if not mutated beyond recognition…”

“Extinction and mutations I can deal with, it’s the trouble of trying to figure out what was a natural born plant, and what was artificially created by them. It seems like the later into the empire I go, the more they relied on the artificial stuff…” She sighed, still looking frustrated at the list before her. “I have a few ideas for some of these, but they’re shaky at best.”

“Let me see…” G’raha leaned closer to inspect the list, and in that moment, time seemed to pause. R’ihxa glanced up toward him, suddenly very aware of how close he was, and given the slight flush to his face, he was realizing it too. If she tilted her head up just a little more, she could easily kiss him, and she was very tempted to do so. She was almost sure they would, they were getting closer still, breathing becoming heavy. She wanted to be nearer to him, wanted to just—

“You spent _HOW MUCH!?_ ”

Tataru’s shout broke the spell, and they leapt apart, both of them blushing terribly. Though mercifully, no one was paying them any mind, far too distracted by Tataru and whatever poor soul had crossed her. R’ihxa gave a shaky sigh, glancing back over her shoulder briefly to be sure no one was eavesdropping on them. They weren’t, and she turned her gaze to G’raha, noting his face was still flushed and he looked just as shaken as she felt.

“Do you have to return to Saint Coinach's Find anytime soon?”

“I don’t believe so, why?”

She managed a small smile, tapping the list they had been looking at before their moment was ruined. “I was thinking of going to harvest some of these plants, and I could use an extra set of hands. What do you say?”

He looked positively delighted at the suggestion.  
~~

Despite the fires of the Calamity destroying most of the canopy, the Black Shroud still held the feeling of a deep ancient forest, whose branches housed friends and foes alike. G’raha’s memories of what the place used to look like were vague at best, since he didn’t spend too much time near the forest. But from the way R’ihxa would talk about it, it sounded like it had been a beautiful place of lush greenery and several unsettling instances. The woods held many secrets that, from the sound of it, she had wanted to uncover ever since she was a child. It was endearing, and something they had in common.

The marshy area of Rootslake was where they were to begin gathering, out in the open away from most of the tree cover. G’raha noticed that the skies seemed rather dark, like a storm was rolling in, but R’ihxa didn’t seem too concerned when he brought it up. She insisted that they would finish gathering before any rain started to fall.

“You’re thinking this is the same plant, or at least…that it shares a common ancestor?” He looked at the flax in his hand, before looking up at her.

“That’s the hope! Based on the descriptions in that journal, I think this is the closest I can get…” R’ihxa replied without looking at him, busy examining the stalk before her. Deciding it was good enough, she cut it cleanly with her scythe, handing it over to G’raha before moving onto the next patch. G’raha watched her quietly for a moment, how carefully she stepped, and how she knew exactly which plants were fully grown, and which needed to be left to mature more. How she avoided the mushrooms and other grasses and shooed away the bugs. She was clearly in her element here, out in the wilds, and it was really only in moments like this that he ever saw her truly at ease. And he felt grateful, blessed even, that he had been allowed to keep her company. He kept his gaze on her, though his mind wandered elsewhere. While he would _never_ admit it aloud, G’raha would concede that he had been far too distracted to really continue his research. But it went deeper than simply having not seen R’ihxa for a few weeks. It was a longing so strong; it took him by surprise. The need to be with her, in multiple ways. He adored her, yes, but instincts were making it feel all consuming, like he’d go mad if he wasn’t by her side…

Not that he expected anything to happen during this cycle, neither of them had really discussed it before now. Sure, they snuck off whenever they could to fool around a little bit, but it had never gone farther than kissing and a few fleeting touches. He may have daydreamed about going farther, but it was her decision to make, not his. Ever the observer, he saw how she still kept her distance with others, and how long it took her to even warm up to him. Above all else, he wanted her to feel comfortable, and if she wasn’t ready, he would not push the issue. 

Which was much easier to do when he wasn’t so keyed up. Damn these cycles.

“G’raha?”

His ears shot up at her voice, and he shook himself out of his musings. She was coming back to him now, hands full of flax. Without prompting, he opened the collection bag for her, holding it steady so she wouldn’t drop any into the muck. Good, he could focus on their tasks and not how she still looked beautiful even with dirt on her cheeks or how there were plenty of places in the woods where they could be properly alone and— _focus godsdamnit!_

“Are you certain this will be enough?”

“For the samples I intend to make, this will be plenty. I dare not take any more then I need, lest I incur the Elementals wrath.” She said, taking the bag from him and throwing it over her shoulder after it was sealed tight. Gathering up her hatchet and scythe, she gestured for him to follow her through the swampy water and back toward the path.

“Is that all you required out here?” His voice was curious as he followed in her wake.

“For the time being, yes. Depending on how my experiment goes, I’ll likely have to go harvesting again, but we’re done for now.” R’ihxa glanced back at him with a playful smirk. “Why, did you fear I’d work you to the bone?”

“Hardly! I just assumed your gathering list was longer.” He gestured to the bag on her back, giving her a skeptical look as they fell into step side by side. “What we did get doesn’t really seem to justify the need for an assistant.”

“Yeah…well, I also intended on restocking a few things for the Scions as well. But what I need isn’t here, it’s in Bentbranch, closer to Gridania itself.” She glanced skyward again, noting the color of the clouds. Whatever storm that was brewing was still a ways off it seemed. “I hope you don’t mind…”

“Not at all.” The warmth of his smile put her nerves at ease. The silence that fell over them was comfortable, punctuated only by their crunching footsteps and the sounds of the forest as they passed from one part of the Shroud into another. G’raha could see her ears twitching at every snapping branch or squawking bird. He supposed in order to live in such dangerous woods, one needed a very good sense of hearing…

He was so busy staring at her, that he didn’t see the low hanging branch until it smacked into his face. He spluttered, and though she wasn’t looking at him, he heard her giggle. She didn’t need to see it, she likely heard it.

“You haven’t spent much time in the forest, have you?” She said, glancing back at him over her shoulder. He pulled a leaf out of his hair, still pouting a little in her direction.  
“I’m afraid not…my tribe lived in a much rockier area.” Sure, there were trees there, but not like these trees. He sometimes wondered how people were able to easily navigate the Shroud. He had nearly gotten lost Twelve knew how many times. “I suppose I’m more built for open plains…”

“I don’t know about that; you hid yourself pretty good the first time we met. I think I can make a forest dweller out of you yet.” R’ihxa sang, bumping her hip against G’raha’s.

“Ah, you mean when I infuriated you to no end with my game of hide and seek?” The reply was careful, but he returned her playful hip bump with one of his own. She chuckled softly, coming to a stop along the path to examine the bushes growing close by. Apparently, they weren’t what she was after, for her attention was soon focused on him again, with a very confident smirk.

“That’s the one! You may have given me a run for my gil that day, but I think next time, I could find you easily.”

“Is that a challenge, Grimm?” His tone was light, but she could see that mischievous glint in his eye, and the eager swish of his tail.

“Bet on it, Tia.”

They were leaning close again, keyed up with the excitement of the challenge. It didn’t even have to be hide and seek, it could be any challenge, R’ihxa just wanted another opportunity to battle his wits and test their skills side by side. Or maybe she really just wanted an excuse to see him in action. She had only had a few chances to see him battle, and she was determined to see more. Call her a fool, but she had been very upset when he couldn’t come with them into the Labyrinth (though in hindsight, she could admit she would have been distracted by him if he were there) and recent workloads had meant they couldn’t go on too many ventures together. She wanted her time with him back, time to be with him without someone nagging at them to get back to work. She just wanted to be with him! She missed him!

By the time R’ihxa noticed that the woods around them had gone eerily quiet, and before she could do anything to make a fool of herself, she let out a soft yelp as something wet hit her nose. Startled, she looked up towards the sky, only for another drop to land on her forehead. G’raha looked equally alarmed, gaze going heavenward as the rain began to fall. The drizzle quickly became a downpour, and they stared at each other in a moment of silent shock.

“Gridania?” G’raha asked, shaking wet hair out of his face.

“Gridania.” Came her quick reply, grabbing his wrist and tugging him along the path toward the city. There was at least one canopy that could still offer them decent shelter in a storm like this, it was just a matter of getting there before the storm worsened.

They were soaked through by the time they staggered under the protective awning of the Carline Canopy. Shivering, they both shook off as much water as they could so as to not leave puddles all over the hall before they headed inside. They were far from the only souls seeking shelter from the rain, and the crowd made getting to the innkeeper difficult. But R’ihxa still navigated her way through to get to the counter, G’raha trailing close behind her. From what he could hear of the conversation, it didn’t seem like there were a lot of rooms left to choose from, but he had to admit that he wasn’t picky in this situation. As long as there was a bed, and some warm blankets, he would be just fine. R’ihxa didn’t seem to care either, as she took a key from the keeper, and beckoned him to follow her. At least they were able to get a room.

“I’m sorry about this…” R’ihxa spoke at last when they were outside the door. “I hadn’t realized it was so late…or that the storm was right on top of us.”

“You needn’t worry. I don’t exactly relish the thought of trying to return to Mor Dhona in this.”

“Yeah, I daresay we’d both be frozen solid by the time we got back.” She fitted the key into the lock and pushed the door open, standing aside to let G’raha enter first, following him soon after. The rooms were always warm and welcoming, and they quickly made themselves at home. The bag of flax and her harvesting tools were placed in a corner, while extra coats and gear pieces were hung up to dry. R’ihxa dipped into the bathroom briefly, coming back with a towel and tossing it toward G’raha before retreating back.

“Ugh…I’m still cold, I think a bath is in order.”

G’raha had to agree that a hot bath was the best way to take the chill off their bones. But it wasn’t until R’ihxa called out to him, asking how warm he preferred the water that he realized she intended for them to bathe together. He froze, midway through drying his hair as best he could after undoing the ribbon keeping it tied up, feeling both the thrill of desire and the anxious flutters. He wanted to join her, truly he did, but…was it okay? Obviously, it was since she offered it, but would it lead somewhere? He wasn’t sure if that was what she wanted, maybe she just wanted the company for the bath and that was all. He didn’t dare assume…maybe he shouldn’t, he was too keyed up…what if he did something wrong? What if he went too far? Breaking her trust was the last thing he wanted to do.

“You go first, I can wait!”

R’ihxa’s head poked out of the doorway, dirt and paint scrubbed off her face, giving him a confused look. “With how soaked you are? You’ll catch your death if you wait.”

“I’m not that cold…!”

“I can see you shaking from over here.” She exited the bathroom, confusion changing to concern. She hadn’t seen him act so skittish before. “Are you alright?”

“Fine! I just…I don’t want to intrude on your privacy is all!” His voice rose slightly with his anxiety, and she frowned.

“It’s not really intruding when I offered it in the first place?” R’ihxa watched the way he stiffened at that, and the way he wavered under her gaze before his ears flattened and his shoulders fell in defeat.

“It’s just…given the circumstances and the…unfortunate timing of certain cycles. I’m…I just…I don’t want to overstep any bounds. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable…”

Her gaze softened at that. So that’s what he was so anxious about? She had noticed he had been a little twitchy all day, and she wouldn’t deny that she had a feeling it had something to do with being in heat. Their ruined moment back at the Rising Stones was proof enough of that, as was the moment in the forest. But to see him so torn up over it, of not wanting to let instincts dictate things and push them forward, to not want to push her into a situation she might not want. She was touched by it, by how deeply he cared. He was willing to put himself in discomfort to make sure she was okay. She couldn’t name many who were willing to do that for her.

But, that wasn’t to say she hadn’t been thinking about it. Gathering gave her plenty of time to think it over, to sort through what was instinct, and what she really wanted. And this time, the two lined up. She was ready, she wanted to move forward with him. Her devotion and care for him went deeper than anything she had felt before now. Not that she had a chance to tell him so…

“Raha…” She called him softly, and he snapped to attention. _That name_ …and the way her voice was so soft and so full of affection. He was sure he was blushing, and her smile seemed to prove that as she beckoned him closer. He shuffled forward until she could wrap her arms around him and pull him into a kiss. She had been wanting to kiss him since the Rising Stones, and she took the moment to indulge, not caring that they were still soaked. All that mattered was that she was in his arms, kissing him until they were both breathless. When they did break apart, she leaned up a bit more to whisper in his ear what _exactly_ she wanted, and she could feel how much he was blushing when he buried his face into her shoulder with a whine.

“You poor thing,” She giggled, kissing the side of his head while running her fingers through his hair. “torturing yourself about this all day! To think you’re so easily undone…~”

“I hadn’t realized you were such a merciless tease…” His voice was muffled, and she giggled again at his response.

“Like you don’t tease me every chance you get.” She let him hide for a few more moments before gently pushing him up. He was still pouting at her with flushed cheeks, but the joy in his gaze was unmistakable. With a soft smile, she gathered his hands into her own, and tugged him forward towards the bathroom, where the warmth of the bath and his company awaited. “C’mon, I can still feel the chill on your skin.”  
~~

The storm had lessened from a relentless downpour, to a soft steady drizzle against the awnings and branches. Frogs and other amphibians sang joyfully into the night at the weather they thrived in. And tucked away from the damp chill in the safety of the Roost, the two Miqo’te lay together, a tangle of limbs and sheets. R’ihxa was nestled against G’raha’s chest, purring in content. To both hear and feel the deep rumble from his purr delighted her, and she nuzzled into him further with a pleased sigh.

Perhaps there would be a conversation later, of what this meant, and where they would go moving forward. But for the time, she wouldn’t worry over such things, and would instead bask in the bliss she was feeling. It was something she never imagined she would be privy too, to feel so cherished and loved by someone she cared for so deeply. All the years she spent alone…it made the moment all the more special to her. And knowing a bit about G’raha, she had a feeling he felt the same. It certainly seemed so with how he held her, and how he kept nuzzling into her hair and pressing kisses to her forehead.

If she had the power too, she would suspend herself in the moment for eternity. Feeling nothing but warmth and love. Such a thing was rare in these uncertain times.

And she never knew when it might be the last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can very much tell I started this with one outcome in mind and then it derailed somewhere along the line. But its sappy goodness and I'm still pleased with it.
> 
> Will I steam roll right into angst? ...I have no idea tbh.

**Author's Note:**

> So R'ihxa is my WoL character but a lot of the time I don't write her that way. Rather, I write has as a support for my friends WoL character (Fangs). However there might be drabbles where I write her perspective as the WoL. There won't be a lot of rhyme or reason to this collection tbh. (Except a lot of G'raha fluff. God I have so much of that I want to write).


End file.
